Memories of Nobody
by Doomboy2000
Summary: Being nobody, being the shadow of somebody... Broken halves of a fractured whole. Can I still love you, even if I'm no one? Book One of Kingdom Hearts: Memorandum
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any characters of the Squaresoft or Disney variety.

And now that the legal stuff is done: Hello, reader. Hope you enjoy. I'll have the next chapters up... later. See ya.

_Edit: If you are reading this, then I have finished re-editing Memories of Nobody. Only superficial changes; mostly grammatical, spelling and word choice corrections have been made; character appearances, actions and plot remain as originally written. Also, for those reading this, a final chapter, a preview of sorts, has been left for your enjoyment and to think upon. As of this time, I will be moving on to doing a similar re-edit of The Forgotten Castle, after which work on Sin of Remembrance, the final book of Kingdom Hearts: Memorandum, will begin._

* * *

_Thinking of you, wherever you are._

_We pray for our sorrows to end,_

_and hope that our hearts will blend._

_Now I will step forwards to realize this wish._

_And who knows:_

_starting a new journey may not be so hard_

_or maybe it has already begun._

_There are many worlds,_

_but they share the same sky –_

_one sky, one destiny._

* * *

She ran, down corridors dark and bright. She wasn't sure how she escaped, or what exactly she had escaped from, but one thing was clear: she was free now, and she hadn't been, and now her only chance was to run. 

She tumbled down the hallways and stairs hastily, her short black hair flying behind her with her jacket and tie. Something in the back of her mind told her this wasn't right, but she ignored it. She was too busy concentrating on staying alive. She slashed down the enemies before her, and they crumpled like nothing more than paper dolls. She winced as hard metal and claws cut her skin, but ran on, disregarding her wounds.

Finally, she came to a dead end. She turned quickly to face her pursuers, weapon at the ready. There were too many, and from the sounds of it, more were closing in on her position. She jumped at a sound behind her; turning her head, she saw a black portal open. It was suspicious, sure enough. Like she was being herded to it. But what choice did she have?

Taking a deep breath, she left the world she hardly knew and stepped into the unknown. Anya had escaped her sister.

* * *

_Walking This Road, Without You,_

_To remake forgotten promises and meet you at road's end._

* * *

In the Undercity, the shadows swarmed and multiplied. One, taller than the rest, with almost human build, looked up into the raining sky, water dripping off its jagged, zigzag antennae. It blinked, slowly. Then it opened its mouth. And from it, came light. 

There was a blinding flash of light which sent all the other shadows and neoshadows scrambling, like so many insects of the soil exposed to the sun. It faded, but didn't disappear. In it stood the form of a young boy, tatters of darkness floating around his naked form. They slowly coalesced into the form of a black robe that clothed his body, and his feet, now booted in black, slowly settled on the rain-slick pavement, his brilliant blue eyes still gazing up to the top of the building before him.  
His stare lingered upon Memory's Skyscraper before he became aware of the fact that he was being watched. He spun around, his spiky blonde hair spraying raindrops as he faced the newcomer. The man was dressed in a black robe, identical to his own, right down to the silver zipper and chains, only he had the hood up, covering his face.

"Who are you?" the boy voiced. His hands flashed, and in them appeared two weapons, flat blunted blades with glowing orbs inset towards the tips.

"Just another person who seeks the truth," replied the other man in a light tone, smiling easily under his hood.

"The truth?"  
"Kingdom Hearts."

"With it, you can be whole again."

The boy spun around to face the new voice. Another hooded figure, identical to the first, but taller, and his voice deeper, more mysterious. The boy paused, but only for a moment.

"What do I have to do?" he asked.

"Join us," said the tall one. The boy nodded. "Well then. You shall be Number Thirteen, completing our order. And what shall we call you?"

"Call me..." The boy paused, as if reluctant to tell them, "Diant. The Shining Warrior."

* * *

_A scattered dream that's like a far-off memory._

_A far-off memory that's like a scattered dream._

_I want to line up the pieces…yours and mine.

* * *

_

The boy awoke with a start, looking around in confusion. The bright blue sky dazzled his eyes, as did the vibrantly green fields that seemed to go one endlessly from one horizon to another, only briefly broken up by stands of picturesque trees. He sat up, finding himself in the middle of a crossroads of dirt paths.

"Where am I?" the youth wondered aloud, rubbing his eyes and brushing some of his lanky brown hair out of his face, a futile effort, as it just fell back. "Kairi?" he asked, looking around. He paused then, remembering. "Oh, that's right. She went home. Um… what happened again?"  
Looking about, he found himself alone, with no one to question but his own memories.

"Um, well let's see… there was the door to Kingdom Hearts… we closed that and sent Kairi home… but before that… we defeated Ansem... and… and… oh yeah," the boy sighed, his face going from thoughtful to crestfallen, "and before that… we lost Diant to the darkness."

His sulking was brought up short as a portal of darkness opened before him. Inside it stood a man, dressed all in black, a black hood pulled over his head. His build was slender, but strong looking, yet he had a peculiar slouch about him. What little the boy could see of the man's face was covered by a mask. Something seemed familiar, as if he had seen him, or someone dressed like him, before, but the memory escaped the boy's mind.

"Who are you?" he asked warily. The man made no response, only motioned to him with a gloved hand before turning and disappearing into the dark portal. Shrugging, Kir got up and followed him, the portal closing behind him.

* * *

_Faded memories, reconstructed memories,_

_And a dream._

_A dream of you, in a world without you.

* * *

_

She woke with a start. It was that dream again She sighed and sat by the headboard of her bed, arms wrapped around her knees. When would they come back? Would they ever come back? She missed them so.

Sighing, she got out of bed and got dressed, brushed her glossy red hair, then went downstairs. She barely heard what her parents said as she zoned out through breakfast, her mind far away, thinking of two boys, one young, bright, and cheerful, the other taller, cocky, and confident. Walking down the lane, she stopped at the beach and stared at the little islet where they used to play. A sigh swept through Kairi as she stared out across the waters surrounding Destiny Island. Would they ever come home?

* * *

_I've been having these weird thoughts lately…_

_Like, is any of this for real or not?_

* * *

_Visions seared through his mind, leaving confused images of places he'd never been to and things he'd never done. Racing down a tropical beach, running with his two best friends, swimming in the bright afternoon. Simple things. Then the visions became more confused, pictures of fighting, fending off creatures with glowing eyes made of darkness, or other things, white and slippery, almost unreal. The three of them battled across various and sundry landscapes, worlds of all sorts and kinds, finally ending in a castle, high and proud. And then darkness._

He woke sweating and tangled in his sheets. Were those really his memories? No, they couldn't be. He didn't have a best friend, much less two. He was an orphan. All the kids his age were gone; he was the oldest kid there. And it's not that any of the kids at school weren't nice, but… he just couldn't seem to connect with them. These dreams involved friends, true friends, the kind he didn't have. So Daxtin wondered: if these aren't my dreams, whose are they?

* * *

_Being nobody, being the shadow of somebody…_

_Broken halves of a fractured whole._

_Can I still love you, even if I'm no one?

* * *

_

She wrote in her book, a gentle smile on her face. Everything was going according to plan. There, alone, in her pristine white room, she wrote. Finally, all the pieces were in place it to work. Emeline turned the page, and began writing the next chapter.

"_It had all seemed like just another normal day for him…"_


	2. I Guess My Summer Vacation is Over

Hello: wow, that's amazing. Didn't expect to see DemonSurfer and Aliasfan. Nice to see some of the old Doomie fan club around! Well, here begins the actual story. Also, when I say "Kairi" or "Ansem", don't assume anything. Also, to Demon: I did not "axe" Riku. Besides, what about Sora? If you notice, the young boy was named Kir.

* * *

Chapter One: _"I Guess My Summer Vacation… is Over."

* * *

_

It had all seemed like just another normal day for him as he woke. Daxtin yawned and stretched his arms, rolling over a few times in his bed to get his blood flowing before he tried to sit up. Finally doing so, he brought his knees up and rested an arm on them as he gazed out the window next to his bed. He had woken up earlier that morning for some reason before falling back asleep. It was a dream, something important. Whatever it was, he couldn't remember it now.

"Hey, Daxtin, breakfast! Get up!" came the shout from down the hall.  
The boy jumped out of bed quickly; the matron didn't take kindly to tardiness, she felt it was some kind of disrespect to her efforts to make them food. He threw on a shirt, this one black with white, cross-like designs across the chest and bordering the short sleeves, and hopped into his pants, baggy tan affairs that were black and baggier from the knees down, and stumbled his way across the room as he combined walking and dressing into one new super-action. He managed to get his pants done up and on in time to catch the doorknob and open the door before he slammed into it.

"Sleepyhead!" yelled a small child as she ran past him in the hall, followed by several others. Daxtin shook his head. He was the oldest kid at the orphanage, at the age of sixteen, and the closest he had in age was a group of pre-teens, so everyone else at the place seemed amused that he wasn't always up at the crack of dawn, running on an emotional sugar-high.

Coming down the stairs, the smell of sizzling bacon and eggs wafted to his nose and he smiled, then fixed on a fake cringe as he walked into the combined kitchen and dining room.

"Jeez, what smells?" he complained. "It smells like a greasy-spoon joint got sick in here!"

"Oh, hush," murmured the matron absently as she served some of the younger children. "Every time you say something like that, the little ones repeat it for the next three weeks." As if to prove her point, several children were saying "I'm a greasy spoon!" and then making overdone retching noises. Daxtin smiled. Her cooking was actually very good, and there was no where else in Twilight Town he'd rather eat. It was so good, it made getting up before noon worth it, even if it _was_ summer vacation. "Your hair's a mess," commented the matron as she put a plate of bacon, eggs, and rice down before him, sizzling hot.

Daxtin shrugged and dug into the food, clearing it away quickly, a feat which surprised some of the other kids, and that the matron used as an example to the toddlers who sat and picked at their food, despite the lack of vegetables.

Rubbing at the hole in his left ear, he contemplated, then rejected the idea of having another helping before dumping his plate in the sink with a hasty thanks and then taking the steps two at a time back up to his room. Checking the mirror that hung on his wall, he confirmed the matron's assessment that his hair was indeed a mess. Running his hands through it several times, he finally got the spike blonde mess to arrange into the tall spiral of hair that he favored. He then went to his bedside stand and picked up two things: a chain necklace and a small, blue crystal. The crystal was more of a shard, and was in a silver base and on a small hook. He fixed the earring into place in his left lobe, adjusting it until it hung straight. The necklace was short, not much longer than a choker, which would have been uncomfortable with the chain links that made it up. From the center hung a cross, spiked at the tips, with a circle in the middle. Slipping the necklace on, he grabbed his coat, which had the same symbol embroidered on the breasts and larger on the back. It was a white trench coat, sleeveless, and it ran down to his ankles. Lastly, he slipped on his sneakers and a set of arm bracers he used for Struggling, in a design similar to the white patterns on his shirt. Looking into the mirror, bright blue eyes stared back at him with a piercing gaze.

"Well," he said to himself, "let's see what's up and about town."

* * *

"Well, I've had enough for today," called Daxtin, wiping the sweat off his brow and tossing another kid the blue foam Struggle-club he was borrowing. "See you guys later." 

The other kids returned the farewells, mostly out of acquaintanceship than any real friendship and hope to see him soon. They were good guys to spar with, but outside of that, they just weren't a crowd the orphan hung with. He left the open sandy lot, aptly, but not creatively, named the Sandlot, and went down to the Tram Commons, where most of the shops were.

Everything seemed peaceful, but there was an underlying air of tension that Daxtin just couldn't shake off. It was probably just the fact that the annual Struggle tournament, a tradition from who-knew-when, was coming up, or that there was only a few days of summer vacation. But somehow, it seemed something deeper, not as trivial as all that. It bothered him as he wandered up the hill into Station Heights.

He passed kids his age hanging out, skateboarding, or performing for onlookers to earn some cash. Daxtin gave a little smirk as one boy tripped and fell off the road onto a lower level's bench while trying to chase a ball and keep it in the air. He was finished with that, having earned all the money he'd need for the year's spending earlier that summer. He walked up all the way to the train station, watching as some girls came out, hair wet and laughing; they had just been to the beach. He wished he could go, but he hadn't saved quite _that_ much money. But then, who would he go with anyway?

He watched the sunset from atop the station's bell tower, eating sea-salt ice cream. He shared it with no one, and had no one to share it with.

Walking back down the hill, he absently listened to the chatter of the townsfolk, the white noise a background to his musings. Something seemed to loom ahead of him, occupying his mind, but he couldn't figure what. Then something odd. He stopped, and it was a minute before he could place what it was.

Silence.

He looked about, and he was the only one who did. Everyone else was frozen in place, frozen in mid-laugh, mid-sentence, mid-smile. There were as statue, not a person moved. He spun around when he saw a movement in the corner of his eye, but all he met was shadows drawn by the twilight. Just shadows.

Or maybe more.

The darkness wriggled and squirmed, taking form. Daxtin backed away as yellow orbs, eyes, blinked in the darkness and clawed hands took shape. Little creatures, but a few feet high, crawled out of the shadows, made of shadow, completely black but for their hungry, glowing eyes. They sniffed about, as if unsure of their surroundings, their jagged antenna wiggling about as they did. Then they spotted him, and came crawling forwards, driven by hunger, but for what, he didn't know.

He quickly backpedaled and reached behind the counter of a store, grabbing a pair of struggle-clubs. It was only legal to use one in an official struggle, but outside the ring, Daxtin was of the school of thought that dictated two weapons being better than one. Taking one in each hand, he swung at the first creature that attacked him, leaping at him with claws wide and eyes blazing.

The foam club did not exactly bounce off the creature. More that it slid off its murky essence, like water across oil. The blow didn't even slow the creature as it leapt at him, raking his shoulder with its sharp claws as he dodged out of the way. Taking the offensive, he charged forwards, swinging about him swiftly, ignoring the cold, clawing pain in his shoulder. His weapons had no effect on the creatures as before, except to push them back a little. Even without this disadvantage, he couldn't fight here; it was too crowded. Running, he took off down the hill towards the sandlot, where there'd be plenty of room to fight, and think of a plan, he hoped.

A few boys stood at the edges of the sandlot, frozen as they drank energy drinks and talked Struggle strategy. Daxtin didn't even glance at the human statues; he had more pressing things to think about, like the creatures that followed him erratically down the street and into the Sandlot. Fending off an attack, he looked about as he tried to find something he could use to his advantage. Instead, he just found more problems.

More of the shadow-creatures flooded out of the other two exits to the sandlot; he was surrounded. Trapped. Cursing under his breath, he backed up until he came to a wall. He beat back at the creatures, but it was a futile attempt. They came closer and closer, with their waving antenna and glowing eyes. As he beat one back, another latched onto his leg, then another onto his arm, and another, and another. There were too many, and he was soon engulfed.

_Is this how it ends?_ he though silently to himself. Then there was a flash of light, followed by darkness.

* * *

He opened his eyes, and looked about. Everywhere, darkness. And yet light shone from below. Looking down, his eyes came face to face with that of a young boy. His eyes were bright blue, and his face a smiling, yet determined countenance. It was a stain glass mural, one that spanned the whole circular platform Daxtin stood on, but the gaze seemed to pierce his soul, as if it could really see him. The boy's hair was a long black, done in braids. Something about his clothes, even his face, gave the picture a very archaic look. In his right hand, he held an odd weapon; part sword, part key. 

_Keyblade,_ thought Daxtin, the word coming unbidden to his mind. Then, _Where am I? Is this the after life?_ Another phrase came to him. _The Station of Awakening_.

Looking about, he saw he was no longer alone in the darkness. In the air floated three weapons, a sword, a shield, and a staff. He automatically walked over to the sword.

_The power to divide. To destroy bonds and cut paths where none were before. Is this the power you choose?_

Daxtin backed away, but not out of surprise, for the whole thing seemed completely surreal yet somehow right. He turned then to the shield.

_The power to protect. To cover the strengths and weaknesses of others from harm. Is this the power you choose?_

He shook his head, and then moved on to the staff.

_The power to join. To create ties and bind powers and people for better or for worse. Is this the power you choose?_

Backing away from this too, he stood in the center of the platform, stain-glass key-bearing boy's gaze starting at him quietly, yet with intensity.

_What do you choose?_

"All of them," Daxtin replied simply.

_Is that so?_ There was a faint touch of amusement to the voice now. _And why would you presume to do so much?_

"Each of these powers is useless alone," he explained simply. "What's the point of splitting things open if you can't protect what you discover? What's the point of defending things if you can't change anything, just keep things the same? And what's the point of creating things, if you can only create problems, not solve them? I need all of these."

There was silence, and then, _I see. So be it. This shall be your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness_.

The weapons disappeared, and new ones appeared in his hands. These were long and flat, each about an inch thick and three feet long, widening towards the tip. The grips were comfortably wrapped beneath his fingers, and the thick blade formed a hexagonal guard around the handles. The edges of the blade were blunt as they went towards the end, then curved in to form a flat end. They could neither cut nor thrust, it seemed. Yet he could feel their power. At the end of each blade, set in the center of it, a little ways from the tip, were two glowing orbs, one in each weapon. They glowed a vibrant blue-green, each perfect spheres set in the blade, their halves protruding from both sides of the blade. A thick line went down the center of the blades, intersecting with a similar line where the orb was set. Each weapon was identical, except one was white, with black stripes, and the other was black with white stripes. So although the crystals were exactly the same, the one in the white blade seemed brighter, while the other in the black blade seemed deeper in hue.

_The Aura Blades, Joiner and Divider_.

Daxtin's awe at the simple, yet beautiful weapons was cut short as he noticed shadows scurrying across the platform. They sprouted up out of the ground into the creatures that had attacked him before, antenna wiggling and eyes hungry. They leaped at him, only to be cut down by new enemies.

As the dark essence dispersed, he stared at the creatures that had replaced the shadow-things. These were white and fluid, as if they couldn't retain their shape, and slid about him in confusing and graceful movements. Their heads were nothing more than flat topped continuances of their torsos, with a zipper diagonally across the front, peaking at the center, going down on either side. As the zippers opened, their revealed dark, empty insides, with jagged teeth and no eyes. Their arms waved about in the air as their legs stretched and impossibly bent and they circled him. The three new creatures then tensed, the only hint before they leapt at him to attack.

Daxtin dodged the first one, riding the currents of its energy to slide behind it, something he wasn't even aware of trying to do, or knew how to do, yet did flawlessly. The creatures twisted in on themselves almost comically, looking about to try and see where he went. Taking advantage of this, he struck out with the aura blades, destroying one with a double-cross slash, then knocking another into the air. Jumping after it, he marveled how it swirled away almost gracefully even while being knocked back, until it popped in a small flash of light and he landed back on the cold stained glass. Looking about, he couldn't find the last creature, until he turned around and saw it slinking about upside down, walking as if the air was solid ground before leaping at him. He parried the blow, then struck with a rapid flurry of attacks, and defeated it. Looking about, he sighed in relief to see there were no more enemies, then jumped a little as there was a flash of light, and stained-glass panels appeared in sequence off the edge of the platform, like a curving pathway.

_Do not be afraid. Keep walking forwards._

He stepped onto the first step hesitantly, and when it held his weight, not even budging slightly, he started walking up the glowing path. On each and every panel was a stained glass picture, like a rectangular miniature of the great platform behind him. Yet they changed; each one depicted a different young boy, sometimes a young girl, and once even a grown man, each holding the odd key-like weapon the first boy had held. With them were other people, their friends, he guessed, or sometimes no one else shared the window. As he walked, their features blurred together in his mind, but one image stayed clear, that of the keyblade. It was simple and strong, with silver haft from golden hand guard, with a key that cut an image of a crown with its prongs.

_The Kingdom Key_, he though silently as he progressed up the steps. Finally, he came to another large round platform, like the first where he started. Here, it depicted a young boy with spiky brown hair and shining blue eyes. He wore shorts and a jacket, though when he looked, sometimes they seemed to change colors, or form, like an impossible trick of the light. Behind in the background were circles containing faces of the boy's friends, a duck, a dog, a mouse, a silver-haired boy with a confident grin and the gentle face of a red-haired girl. Or was she blonde? Shaking his head, he saw that clearly she was red-haired, short and trimmed, not long flowing blonde like he had seen for a second, the same second in which he had sworn the key-bearer was also blonde, and wearing completely different clothes, all in white with hints of red. He stopped staring at it; the picture was starting to hurt his brain.

Walking across the platform, he encountered more of the white creatures, and easily defeated them before continuing up a new flight of steps that appeared, leading higher and farther into the darkness of this empty realm. He passed over more key-bearers, each one different and unique from the last, yet somehow the same. He stopped at the last step before the next platform. There was something impossibly familiar about the boy depicted there. It was a young boy, about fourteen or fifteen, dressed in a hooded short sleeve jacked with mismatched gloves and zip-off pants that had one leg still on, the other converted to shorts. He had smiling blue eyes, and lanky brown hair that threatened to try and cover his face on one side, and stuck out at random. Behind him was a girl, red haired and with a coy smile, her face slightly downcast, but her eyes bright with one partly covered by a cascade of hair, looking a year or two older than the boy. She was beautiful. Beside her was by far the most disturbing image Daxtin had seen so far. It was merely the picture of a another boy, about the same age as the girl, with piercing blue eyes and hair that flared out in spikes towards the front and was caught up in a jagged pony tail in the back, yet something about the boy shook Daxtin to the very core of his being. Shuddering, he moved off the stairs and on to the next platform.

This one depicted a young girl, hair free and blonde, eyes bright and blue, holding the Kingdom Key. Something about the picture prevented him from detaining any more details than that. Behind her were a young man and a girl. The girl was also blonde, though her hair bordered on platinum than the light yellow of the main girl. Raised to her face was a book. The man had had jutting yellow hair that poked out in all directions from his face, and a wide grin on his face. His eyes were squinted shut almost, giving him a sly look, almost like a fox, he thought. When he stared at him long enough, Daxtin could have sworn he saw a crown on the man's head, but then it would be gone. Walking across the platform, he started as he heard something move behind him. He turned, and his gaze was met with writhing blue strands of a scarf fluttering up in an unfelt wind as a towering white creature rose from the ground. It had jutting shoulders, and long arms that reached to the ground, making its body and legs seem short and stumpy by comparison, though he instinctively knew that it could stretch to any proportions, like the other white creatures he had encountered. Its face was a blank, featureless mask, except for a symbol that resembled a mix between a cross and an upside-down heart.

The Twilight Thorn.

The enormous being struck out with its arms, and Daxtin dodged while charging forwards. Thorny beams of black and white shot out from its head, and he rode the electric waves into the air, twisting and turning in all defiance of gravity and logic as he dodged the jagged beams and flailing limbs. He struck out at its face, knocking it back with powerful blows before bonds of light pulled his arms and legs apart, spread-eagling him in the air, held in place by the shining lights. The creature stretched back, preparing to attack, but at the last second, Daxtin instinctively divided the bonds and swiveled on one of the orbs of light to dodge the attack before counterattacking the monster's head. The creature flew back, its body following the head and arms with delayed timing, causing it to stretch in unearthly forms. Its arms stretched out across the distance between them and the hands wrapped around Daxtin's form before he could react. Its body snapped forwards in a slithering movement until it stood face to face with him. He watched as the face began to unzip, but countered by joining the two halves together, denying whatever it had planned to unleash, then smashing it in the face again, sending it flying back. The creature hit the platform, almost going flat, and slithered across the ground before sliding off the edge like a puddle of water. Landing on the stained glass, he chased it over to the edge, then peered down into the endless depths. Nothing. Perhaps that was all. Relaxing, he turned around and headed back across the platform, towards the top of the picture.

The tower shook, and Daxtin stumbled as the whole thing began to tilt. He gave a cry of surprise as the floor started to go vertical and he slid down to the edge. Acting quickly, he divided a long rent down the side of the picture, then joined his other blade into it, securing him something to hold onto, just barely before he went over the edge. He hung over the abyss, staring down at the creature as it hung upside down from the side, now the bottom, of the platform. In its arms, it cradled a giant sphere of energy that surged and pulsed with power. Giving one might push, it leaped up towards him, jarring the platform into a spin and flinging Daxtin from it towards the approaching fiend. Just before they met, Daxtin drew back one of his blades, then threw it with all his might into the orb of energy. It cut straight through, and Daxtin leaned in and followed, flying straight through the attack towards the creature's face. He grabbed the black blade as it spun through the air, then hit the monster with a powerful cross-slash to the face and they both fell into the abyss, only to land back on the platform, impossibly. The creature swayed on its feet, then shot out more of the thorny beams of black and white. The boy rode the energy waves up and through the air, then struck the finishing strike to the thing's head. Landing hard on his feet, he turned around, only to see the creature falling, falling towards him, to crush him with its immense body.

_Remember: Always hold onto your light, and never forget your darkness. Your heart is what you make of it.

* * *

_

Daxtin awoke in the Sandlot, alone and silent. There was no one, not even the shadow-creatures that had attacked him.

"What was that?" he asked himself quietly, the memories of what he had just gone through already fading. Had it been a dream? Shrugging it off and getting up, he brushed himself off, then jumped in surprise as a flash of white zipped by right in front of him. Startled, he gave a cry of surprise and pain as something snapped at his neck, and the creature floated off, swimming through the air with tantalizing familiarity. Rubbing at the back of his neck, where it hurt, his eyes widened in surprise. "My necklace!"

He took off after the white creature, into the Tram Commons, which was also deserted, and towards the back where there was a jagged crack in the wall that led into the old forest. Running through the fissure, he barely could keep sight of the creature in the gloom, until they came to an opening. There, was the old haunted mansion, its main gate locked, and the creature pacing before the gate, twisting its head to look at the gate, then Daxtin, then back to the gate, its body twisting with it, autonomous of its pacing legs. Readying his Struggle clubs, Daxtin approached the strange creature cautiously, then struck out. The creature twisted around the attack, absorbing the blows with no apparent effect. Then suddenly, there was a blinding light, and his Struggle clubs were replaced with strange, yet familiar weapons, the Aura Blades Joiner and Divider.

He struck out at the creature with renewed vigor, his blows actually connecting and seeming to hurt it. He dodged around it with quick agility, then struck from behind, defeating it. The creature disappeared in a pop of light, dropping his chain necklace on the ground. He picked it up and considered the little medallion before putting it on. He'd had the necklace for as long as he could remember, it was the one thing he possessed closest to his heart. Why would the creature take it? As if it wanted his heart, or something.

His musing was cut short as an odd sound resonated behind him. Darkness crept up from the ground, and Daxtin readied his blades. However, the shadows flew up and formed a dark portal of swirling shadows. And out fell a young child, the portal closing after him. From the kid's clothes, Daxtin decided it was a he. He was dressed in a black suit jacket and slacks, with a white collared shirt and a thin black tie, the end of which was flat, not pointed. His face was cut here and there, and his breathing was forced, like he had just run a long way. His skin was pale and his hair was cut medium length, curving around the sides of his head in straight locks, falling no further than his chin, framing his rounded, boyish face, which looked somehow too young and a little delicate. He blinked, then opened his eyes, which were deep and black with a liquid softness about them that covered a hurt expression far behind.

"Help me," the boy murmured. Daxtin helped him to his feet, the caught him as the kid stumbled and fell against him. Before he could say anything, more dark portals appeared, and armored creatures poured out, similar to the shadow creatures and the white creature in their inhumanity, yet otherwise completely different. They seemed more artificial, with fanciful armor and straight bars of light on their helms for eyes. They had no hands, but instead their blades came directly from their arms. Their swords were of intricate design, much like their armor.

"Damn… she's caught up with me," murmured the boy, pushing Daxtin away and stumbling to his feet. He swayed there, then held out one hand from his side, as if to grasp something out of thin air. A ball of darkness formed in front of his palm, the stretched and extended into a long spar of darkness. It was completely black, with no shadows or contours, as if it sucked in all light, just a straight pole of darkness, with slanted pointed ends. He grasped it tightly, and then charged the first of the armored creatures. Striking it, the thing crumpled in on the spear, then disappeared into shreds as the lance spun about. The boy charged the next one, but stumbled in his fatigue and fell to the ground. The dark lance wavered, and then dissolved entirely.

"Look out!" shouted Daxtin, leaping in as one of the creatures attacked his prone form. He struck down the creatures quickly, dodging them with practiced evasion and hitting each one expertly. He fought until the last creature fell in a flurry of shreds. Breathing hard, he stared and focused on the fluttering remains for the first time as they floated to the ground.

"Paper," he stated simply, staring in disbelief at the shreds on the ground. He then turned and helped the boy back up, carrying his arm over his shoulder to keep him up. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But now that you've helped me, she'll be after you too," he said. He held up his free hand, and there was a flicker of darkness, the nothing. "Damn it… not strong enough. Lend me your strength."

Before Daxtin could respond, he gasped as the boy's fingers dug into his shoulder and he felt suddenly weak. The darkness flickered then flared before them, opening into a roiling black portal.

"Please, you have to come with me," begged the boy. "I can't stay here to protect you, and if you stay here alone, I can assure you that she'll track you down for helping me escape, and then she'll turn you into one of her servants."

Everything was going to fast for Daxtin. Her? Her who? It was all too bizarre, these creatures of shadow, of nothing, of paper. What was going on? And yet…

Daxtin nodded, then walked towards the portal, supporting the other boy as they went, though it was a little awkward since he was the taller one. There was nothing for him here. Heck, no one would miss him. He was an orphan. He didn't have any friends. A real nobody. No one would care.

He looked back over his shoulder, towards Twilight Town before stepping into the portal.

"I guess my summer vacation… is over."

And then he stepped in, and they were gone.


	3. Sisters

Hey: We love gender mis-identification.

* * *

Chapter Two: Sisters

* * *

The world, or lack there of, swirled around Daxtin and the young boy as they exited the portal and stepped into limbo, a place between worlds. As far as he could tell, they weren't standing on anything, and all around them swirled colors and shapes indescribable. Across from them, about a sprint away was another swirling portal of darkness.

"That's our exit," said the boy, still leaning on Daxtin for support.

"Where is this?" he asked as he walked forwards slowly, giving the boy time to keep up as he hopped, one leg dragging and trailing blood across the non-existent ground.

"This," came a voice, high and soft, "is Betwixt and Between, the place between worlds. It connects the light to the dark to the twilight to nothing."

The boy swore as Daxtin spun about to face the stranger, though whether from pain of the sudden movement, or from what they saw, he could not tell. A young girl sat before them, sitting on nothing, and writing in a book that she held in her lap. Finishing the sentence and dotting the period, she closed the book calmly and slid her pen into its spine for safekeeping. Looking up then, she assessed the pair with serene blue eyes. Her eyebrows were thin and delicate, and her forehead broad and high, her long, smooth hair was a light blonde, nearly white, yet still rich in color, that fell neatly to each side of her face, lingering longer on her right side down her shoulder. Her lips were full and soft, giving the look of having a slight pout, though her eyes displayed nothing but calm observation, if a little amusement. She wore a short pleated skirt in navy blue and a blouse of the same color. A neckerchief with a stripped design hung about her neck, pinned in place with a small jeweled brooch at the center of the blouse's somewhat low collar line. The addition of the cuffs of a white collared shirt sticking out of her long sleeves and white knee-high socks gave her the appearance of a young school-girl, about the same age as the boy that hung on Daxtin's arm, maybe older.

"Who are you?" demanded Daxtin. The girl smiled, and gave a demure little laugh, covering her mouth coyly with one hand, the other holder her book.

"Who am I? Why don't you ask the young girl bleeding all over your coat? She _is_ my sister, after all," murmured the girl in an amused voice.

Daxtin's eyes took a confused look before he looked down at who he thought was a boy that he was supporting. Looking closely, he noted that, despite wearing a suit, the kid's body was too slender to be a boy, but he had assumed her to be younger. Reassessing her and adjusting his mind, what he took for youth and boyishness with a slight delicacy became more of a rounded, pretty, if a little plain, face of a girl. It made sense now; what had seemed to be a slightly tall twelve year old boy with medium long black hair was actually a somewhat short girl with partly short hair of fourteen or fifteen years. However, her eyes seemed much older, now set with a hard determination and hatred that stared at the other girl before them.

"Emeline," she spat. "Finally come for me yourself. Not satisfied with the results from your paper warriors?"  
"Oh, Anya," smiled the blonde. "Whatever made you think I didn't want you to escape, much less came here for you?" She turned then and faced Daxtin. "As for you… well, you're working out just perfectly. With the help from you and that ridiculous Organization, I won't even have to lift a finger."

"Like I'd help you!" yelled Daxtin defiantly. "I don't know who you are, but if you did this to Anya, then I'll never to anything that would help you in the slightest!"

"It's too late for that, child," murmured Emeline calmly. "Besides, do you think it's possible to help her without helping me? Or help your self without helping me, for that matter?"

"What does she mean?" Daxtin asked, looking to the battered girl leaning against him.

"I don't really know," replied Anya. "I don't have any memories except those since I've escaped, and all I know is that she's my sister… and what I am."

"I love how you say these things like you really know anything," giggled Emeline, still sitting on nothing. "'You, who know so little.' A famous man once said that, long ago."

"Who are you?" hissed Daxtin, growing sick of her riddles. Emeline laughed, and a sudden wind blew through the nothing of Betwixt and Between, blowing scattered papers around, buffeting Daxtin and Anya, and surrounding Emeline in a torrent of sheets.

"That is a question better asked of you," added Emeline before she was engulfed by the storm. When the wind died down and the papers blew back to where they came from, the young blonde prophetess was gone. She left both of them confused, but for different reasons.

"What does she mean?" wondered Daxtin aloud.

"And why didn't she take me?" echoed Anya.

Lost in their own questions, they turned around and began walking again, not even noticing the figure that stood in their way until the first blow was struck.

"Fire!"

Daxtin and Anya flew back through the air as the fireball struck, landing hard on the somehow solid surface of nothing and rolling away from each other on impact.

"Who are you?" shouted Daxtin, springing to his feet, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands. Anya remained on the ground, too hurt to fight.

"Wielding those aura blades, I should be asking the same of you," said the young boy before them. He had bright blue eyes, and round, young face; he looked to be about fourteen years old at most. He was short due to his age, only coming up to about Daxtin's shoulder. He had wild brown hair that curved this way and that, almost threatening to try and cover his face on one side. He was dressed in a hooded short sleeve jacket with mismatched gloves and zip-off pants that had one leg still on, the other converted to shorts. He held a strange weapon, part sword, part key.

_Keyblade,_ Daxtin remembered, as if from a dream. The boy seemed familiar also. Trying to remember the dream he had when he fainted in the Sandlot, it seemed more and more like he should recognize the boy, but he just couldn't place him.

"Who are you, and why do you have Diant's aura blades?" demanded the kid, swinging the keyblade threateningly and stepping towards them. "Where's Diant?"

Daxtin winced at the name, dropping his weapons to hold his head, which had started aching. What was going on? His head hurt, and the boy's words echoed inside his brain, the name "Diant" crying over and over again. Gradually, the pain subsided. He still wasn't clear, but a name had shaken itself loose in the confusion.

"You're… Kir, aren't you?" asked Daxtin shakily.

"What, did you steal that name from him too?" sneered the boy. "Give Diant back!" Rushing forwards with a shout, the boy struck out with the keyblade, barely giving Daxtin enough time to summon his blades again and block. The boy was skilled, that he could tell. Even with two blades, Daxtin had trouble fending off his attacks, and found himself backing up against Kir's onslaught of blows. "Fire!"

Daxtin's eyes widened in surprise as the boy's free hand glowed yellow, then deep red as a ball of fire formed there, before shooting and blasting him right in the gut. Coughing as the air was knocked out of him, Daxtin flew back again and skidded across the cold surface of nothing. Kir covered the distance with amazing agility, leaping up in the air in the last few feet, the Kingdom Key raised above his head for a powerful two-handed blow. Daxtin closed his eyes as he raised his blades in defense and braced for impact, having little hope to actually fend off the attack.

It never came.

Opening his eyes, a seething silhouette of roiling darkness stood before him. Her hair floating in burning updrafts of power, Anya stood before him, the key bearer's blade blocked by a thin bar of purest darkness held in her hand, which seethed with darkness, as if holding the weapon burned her. As he watched, her grip tightened and her pale skin blackened, but not as if charring, but as if it was slowly being washed in shadows. With a surge of power, Anya lashed out, flinging the boy away with one swipe of her bladeless spear.

"Heartless!" Kir exclaimed in surprise, landing on his feet but continuing to skid a few feet after hitting the ground. Giving a yell, he charged forwards as Anya ran to meet him, her dark weapon held out by her side. Daxtin could only stare in amazement as the two of them fought, their weapons flashing in and out as they struck, parried, blocked, and dodged. Kir's style was aggressive, pressing every advantage and opening he could spot, but still shifting to the defensive when he was out maneuvered. Anya, on the other hand, was down right reckless, giving no though to her own safety, the ferocity and swiftness of her attacks steadily beating the keyblade master back. Finally, she struck out, and her lance swept past Kir's guard, piercing his shoulder. The boy cried out in shock and agony as the dark spar stabbed into his flesh. Pulling away, he jumped back, gasping as the weapon left the wound.  
"Damn it," cursed the boy, looking around for a line of escape. As he did, a portal of darkness opened besides him, obviously not his by how he jumped in surprise. When nothing came out, he shrugged, and then retreated through it away from the dark berserker he faced, the portal closing behind him.

Daxtin sighed in relief, then approached Anya, who still held her weapon, her hand completely black and seething darkness, staring at where the key bearer had been but moments before.

"Hey, um… Anya, that's your name, right? You okay?"

He jumped in surprise as she spun about to face him. Her face was pale and emotionless, but it was her eyes that frightened him. They were completely black, except for pinpricks of light in the middle, with four lines of white radiating from them, as if her eyes were disturbing crosshairs, aiming all their darkness at him. Then she stumbled and fell to the ground, her weapon disappearing. Daxtin rushed over and helped her sit up as she held her head, brushing her hair back with a pale hand. She was trembling and her breathing was labored. When she looked up at him, her eyes were the frightened and hurt, like when he had first seen them, and no hint of darkness he had glimpsed before remained.  
"Um…yeah," she murmured shakily.

"What?" asked Daxtin, taken a little off guard by her short answer.

"Yeah, my name is Anya… and I'm alright," she said unconvincingly. "um… what's your name?"

"Oh, uh, Daxtin," stuttered the teenager, remembering suddenly that he hadn't told her. He helped her up, keeping his arm around her shoulders as she tried to stand on her own, already knowing what would happen when she stumbled and almost fell again. Wrapping her arm around his waist for support, she leaned against him, grudgingly accepting that she couldn't walk on her own, although he wasn't in much better shape, still smarting from his fight with Kir.

"Well then," said Daxtin, breaking up the silence, "I guess we're in this together."

Anya didn't say anything, but gave a weak nod of her head.

As the silence settled in again, they stumbled their way across the nothing of Betwixt and Between towards the bright portal they had originally been aiming for, and walked through together.

Daxtin remembered bright sunlight and tropical warmth before tumbling into the briny blue and passing out.


	4. Organization XIII

Dooms: Time to start introducing Bad Guys. I guess. Sort of. Well, maybe not really. You'll have to decide for yourself. Don't ask me.

* * *

Chapter Three: Organization XIII

* * *

"Hey, are you alright?" 

Daxtin opened his eyes, then immediately regretted doing so. It was bright, and his head hurt, a combination that didn't go down well. Wincing and shutting his eyes again, he felt sand and grit plastered to his face, as well as warm ocean waves washing over his legs, pulling at him as if trying to drag him back into the sea. Trying to move, his body ached in protest all over, and he gave a moan of pain and gave up, sliding back into the warm depths of unconsciousness.

He awoke later in a bed. He stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling, his eyes focusing on nothing in particular as he got a feel for his surroundings without moving. He was warm, comfortably so, and his body didn't hurt anymore. Notably, and a little alarmingly, he seemed to be wearing some one else's clothes.

Tilting his head, he located his own clothes hanging off a line, drying off near an open window. While those were there, he was wearing a pair of pants and a shirt, both of which fit almost perfectly. As he sat up, the door to the room opened and a girl of about the same age as him walked in.

She was tall, about the same height as Daxtin, and had deep red hair of medium short length that fell neatly around her face, just short of her shoulders, some of which partially covered one eye. Her eyes were a gentle blue, and they exuded warmth and caring. She wore an interesting long-sleeved top that seemed to be a tube-top with added loose sleeves that almost covered her hands; the shirt didn't cover any of her shoulders or collar. It was in a light aqua-green with little yellow stripes around the edges, and she had a matching mini-skirt in the same design, along with boots that went almost all the way up to where the skirt ended, completely the look. Additionally, she wore a black choker, from which hung a little golden medallion, and a lopsided belt that hung to one side with a pouch hanging from it. He could see the green straps of her thong sticking out of her skirt to wrap around her shapely hips, almost up to her exposed navel. She was, in his opinion, the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, almost angelic, but perhaps that was because she came bearing a tray with soup and bread, and Daxtin found that he was absolutely starving.

"Oh, good, you're awake," she said pleasantly, coming over and setting the tray down on his lap. "I was worried, since you didn't wake up at all yesterday."

"What time is it?" murmured Daxtin tiredly as he ripped a chunk of bread off and dunked it into the soup.

"Just a little after 11 o'clock. I found you two on the beach yesterday afternoon."

_You two?_ wondered Daxtin blearily. Then he remembered. "Anya! Is she okay?"

"The girl? Yeah, she's fine. A little beat up, but on the mend," smiled the girl, sitting down on the bed as he ate. The soup was good and the bread fresh. "I'm Kairi, by the way. What's your name?"

"Hmm? Mm, Daxtin," he mumbled as he ate. Having not eaten for almost a whole day along with all the fighting had left him ravenous, and he was paying more attention to the food than the girl. Stopping, he realized he was probably being pretty rude, just answering so shortly. "So, um, Kairi… that's a nice name."  
"It's a family name," she said, shrugging it off. "It gets dusted off and placed on a girl every generation or two."

"Huh," murmured Daxtin as he mopped up the rest of the soup with the last of the bread. Looking down at the empty bowl, he flushed as his stomach growled loudly. "Um… I know I'm already imposing, but…" He left the question hanging.

"Sure, there's more," laughed Kairi, taking the tray and getting up. "Think you're good enough to get up and follow me to the kitchen?"  
"Uh, sure." He slid out of the bed and got to his feet easily, with no sign of injury and weakness. He smiled, and Kairi flashed a grin back at him before walking out the door, her boots clicking as his bare feet padded softly across the hardwood floor behind her. "So, um… whose clothes am I wearing? Your brother's?"

"Sort of," replied Kairi as they walked down a short flight of steps. "Those two hung around here so often, they might as well have been family."

Before he could question her further, they stepped off the stairs and into the kitchen. A pot of soup was simmering on the stove, filling the room with its savory aroma, and Anya was sitting at the table, dressed in a slightly too-large T-shirt and shorts, her bare feet tapping happily on the floor as she ate a bowl of soup, her eyes half-lidded and her hair a mess, a direct contrast to the neatly combed locks of black she normally had. She still looked like a boy. The fact that the shirt had a boy shouting "I'm King of the Beach!" on it probably didn't help.

"Mm, hey," she murmured absently as they walked in.

"Oh, you're up. You sure you should be walking about so soon?" asked Kairi, her voice slightly worried. "I mean…"

"I heal fast," she said shortly, barely noticing as they got their own bowls and sat down at the table with her. "Just tired. And a little hungry."

"The both of you," said Kairi, giggling as Daxtin dove into his second bowl of soup, then backed off, his tongue scalded. "It's hot," she cautioned belatedly. "So what's the story? I found the two of you washed up on the beach yesterday. Fall off a ship?"

"Not really," answered Daxtin, blowing off the next spoonful before sticking it in his mouth. "I got attacked by these black things and these white things and these paper things. Oh, and she fell out of an inter-dimensional portal and made me a fugitive from her enigmatic prophetess sister. And some kid with a keyblade wants to kill me."

"Keyblade?" asked Kairi in surprise. She looked a little distant, then said, "Nah, couldn't be. He's too nice." Shrugging, she then added, "I've seen some stuff like what you said. Where the black things like ants, sort of? All shadow and claws and glowing eyes?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" asked Daxtin in surprise.

"They're called Heartless," explained the girl. "They're the darkness in people's hearts. When a heart leaves its body, it gets absorbed by the darkness. When that happens, a Heartless is formed. Just like…" she broke off suddenly, eyes downcast. An awkward silence filled the air, only broken by the tinkling of wind chimes and Anya sipping her soup, mainly oblivious to the conversation in her half-awake state.

"I'm sorry, Kairi," he apologized, though for what, he wasn't sure. In the quiet, he pondered what she had said, his soup forgotten. Then he remembered something. "Hey, Anya, isn't that what that kid called you? A Heartless? Why would he?"

The young girl paused, spoon halfway to her mouth. Slowly, she put it down, letting it slide into her bowl, her eyes slightly sad.

"Because. That's what I am," she said simply.

"What? What are you talking about?" asked Daxtin confused. "You don't look anything like those ant-things."

"Shadows are just one kind of Heartless, but he's right," agreed Kairi. "Heartless look like, well, Heartless. You're definitely a person."

"Only when I keep control," said Anya quietly. "Sometimes though, when I get angry, or scared… I lose it. I become a monster. The Shadow Lance is my only defense, but… the more I rely on it, the closer to the darkness I become. I don't know when, but at some point, I became lost in darkness. When I woke up, I was on my feet and running, running to escape my sister, Emeline. I don't even know why. But I can feel it. Feel it in my heart. I'm only half a person. A shadow of somebody. A shade of who I once was, whoever that was. A Heartless."

There was a stunned silence at this. Daxtin was the first to break it.

"Hey, you're not. You're you!" he said. "Anya, not some mindless dark-ant. Everyone loses it now and then, but come on, it's who you are when you mean it that matters. It's what's in here that matters," he smiled, leaning over and poking her chest, just below the collar. "What's in your heart is what really says who you are. At least, that's what my heart says."

"He's right," agreed Kairi. "Even if you did lose your way, you're here now, with friends. We'll be your light." She thought for a bit, then said, "You know, if you were lost in the darkness, maybe he can come back too."

"Who's he?" asked Daxtin curiously.

"The boy whose clothes you're wearing," answered Kairi with a little grin. "Diant."

Daxtin winced at the sound. Why did that name make his head hurt? Make his heart ache? Make him feel… empty?

"What, did I say something wrong? Do you know Diant?" asked Kairi, her voice tinged with worry.

"No… no, it's nothing," muttered Daxtin, shaking his head. "Anyway, what should we do now?"

"Well, I could show you around the island," suggested Kairi. "Your clothes should be dry by now, so you could even change into them if you don't want to wear those. I'll meet you two back down here, okay?"

Nodding, Daxtin and Anya both put their dishes in the sink before heading back upstairs to their rooms to change. In a few minutes, they came back down, Daxtin once more dressed with his sleeveless coat and Anya with her hair neatly combed and her jacket and slacks arranged nicely. They reminded Daxtin of a school uniform. A boy's school uniform. What's up with that?

"Let's go," smiled Kairi, her face lighting up as they came down stairs. With that, they went off to see Destiny Islands.

* * *

The tour went on into the afternoon, and it was just as the sun was starting to touch down on the far blue horizon that they came back full circle to the beach where Kairi had found the two of them washed up on the shore. 

"What's that over there?" asked Anya quietly, pointing to a little islet.

"Hmm? Oh, that's the little island where we used to play as kids. Heck, we hung out there for pretty much up until we got swept away on adventure," replied Kairi. She had already told them about her friends, Diant and Kir, though she didn't talk much of this "adventure" they had gone on. Daxtin had decided not to mention that it was Kir who had tried to destroy him.

"No, I mean, those dark things climbing up the beach? You got seals?"

"What?" asked Kairi, spinning about to actually look at the island. Sure enough, masses of black things were wriggling their way up the beach. "Heartless! I think they're heading to the Secret Place. Quick, we have to get over there!"

Grabbing some canoes that were beached nearby, they quickly made their way over to the island.

"Thunder!" yelled Kairi, raising her arm as they approached the dock, which was covered over with wriggling shadow Heartless. Bolts of lightning came crashing down out of the purpling sky and the shadows exploded in clouds of dark mist that dissipated in the sunset light. Tying their boats to the dock, they quickly jumped out and onto the now clear dock, then waded their way through the encroaching darkness, Kairi wielding her magic as Daxtin swung Joiner and Divider and Anya attacked with the Shadow Lance, that spear of utter darkness.

"Hurry, this way!" yelled Kairi, leading the way down a path underneath stairs to a tree house and besides a pool from a natural waterfall. Fighting their way through the masses of Heartless, they came to a shadowed opening, into which the older girl ran, the other two hot on her heels.

The small passageway opened up into a cavern of fallen boulders and tree roots. Light filtered in through several gaps in the ceiling, illuminating a number of chalk drawings on the walls. In the back was a strange wooden door, and it was this that the Heartless were swarming towards. Running into the center, they found far too many Heartless between them and the door. Turning around, they found even more flooding into the cavern through the opening.

"Trapped!" cursed Daxtin under his breath, back to back with the two girls, striking out at any shadow that strayed too close. "What are we gonna do?"

Then, suddenly, there was a flash of white that came shooting out of the opening, followed by bursting Heartless, disintegrating wherever the white blur touched. The thing shot around the room, making a full circle around the trio, annihilating Heartless wherever it went before flying back out the opening and to the rest of the island.

"What was that?" asked Daxtin in surprise.

"I don't know, but don't let it get away!" said Kiari, Anya nodding beside her in agreement. The three ran out after the thing.

As they came out of the Secret Place and stepped into the sunlight, they were surprised to find a complete lack of Heartless. The white thing, however, had slowed down, and resolved into something vaguely human shaped, though it twisted in ways impossible and seemed to float through the air almost as it moved. They pursued it down the beach, until it turned and stopped to regard them. The creature was tall, about the size of an adult human, and was shaped like a woman. It wore a peach-colored cap over most of its face, though it still revealed a jagged mouth. However, what made it recognizable other than its fluid movements was the symbol on its pants, a combination of a cross and an upside down heart, the same symbol Daxtin had seen on the white thing that had stolen his necklace and something he'd seen in a dream.

"It's one of those white things!" shouted Daxtin. "Get it!"

Nodding, the other two charged the creature. The thing wavered and danced away from their attacks, staying just out of reach of the Shadow Lance and Daxtin's aura blades.

"Blizzard!" shouted Kairi, firing a blast of frozen air and water.

The blow struck the white creature hard, and the thing bounced away, the rest of its body following the struck torso slightly delayed, as if it were made of rubber, or something stretchy. The creature flipped over then gracefully before swooping back in and knocking into Anya. Dancing away before the girl could counterattack, the creature began to glow before suddenly sliding in and right in front of Daxtin. Before he could react, the creature grabbed his arms, then went into several disorientating twists and turns before flinging him away across the beach.

"Fire!"

This time, the creature made sure to dodge, dancing lightly out of the way. Spitting out sand, Daxtin stumbled back to his feet. Not even knowing what he was doing, he reversed his grip on one of his aura blades before slamming the handles together, fusing the two blades into one long blade, the handle in the center, both orbs glowing and flaring with unnatural blue-green fire. Swinging back his arm, the blades followed, the whole thing spinning rapidly, becoming a blur of motion and light as the blades became a whirring disk, suspended from his palm by pure willpower.

"Whirlwind Raid!" he shouted, swinging his arm and releasing the spinning blades. The disk cut through the air, striking the white creature straight on, knocking it into the air. The whirling blades shot past, then doubled back, cutting into the sand and water, spraying both as it turned and flew back at the creature to strike it again. On impact, the blades separated, spinning away from each other. As they did, Daxtin leapt up into the air, catching them in his hands, his arms crossed as he did. "Storm's Divide!"

He swung his arms back out in a powerful cross-slash, and the white creature exploded in a flash of light as he landed in a crouch on the sand, blades held out at his sides dramatically. Standing slowly, he paused as Anya and Kairi ran up to him. Clapping rang through the silent twilit air, soft at first, then with growing strength.

"Very impressive," murmured a smooth, calm voice. The trio spun around to face the speaker, a man dressed entirely in black. His black cloak had the hood drawn up, covering his face almost entirely. Zipper pulls and hanging silver chains jingled as he walked towards them and stopped clapping his black gloved hands. "So you defeated one of my dancers," he observed dryly. "Silly shadow, silly princess, silly no one. Do you really think you can change anything? You, who know so little?"

"Who are you?" demanded Daxtin, brandishing his aura blades. Anya and Kairi took up similar fighting stances.

"Why should I tell you, when you're just about to die?" asked the cloaked figure. He threw up his arm, then yelled, "Water!"

Water shot out of the ground around him in a circle, forming a dome of sparkling currents that focused at his hand, coalescing into a single shape. There was a flash of light, and a large sitar, a three-stringed guitar-like instrument appeared in his hand. With a quick swing of his arms, the figure brought it before him, caressing it's blue and white length, its designs a variation of the symbol that had adorned the dancer and the white creatures from before. Chuckling, he began to play it with both hands strumming up and down its neck, balancing the nearly five-foot long instrument against one leg as he played.

"Dance, water," he crooned softly. Swirling torrents of water appeared before shifting and turning into see-through clones of the man in black, each wielding their own sitars as they slid along the ground.

Daxtin dodged and jumped away as one of the clones jumped forwards and swung out with its sitar, swinging it from the cross-piece end like a mace, before returning a two-handed grip to the instrument and jabbing forwards with it like a spear. Daxtin side-stepped the thrust, then smashed the thing's face in with a swift attack from Joiner. The clone crumpled, then burst apart into a spray of water, but there was little time to celebrate as another water clone took its place.

Meanwhile, Anya struck out with her Shadow Lance while Kairi took out the clones in groups of three or four using carefully aimed thunder spells. Despite this, the water forms were appearing faster than they could be destroyed.

Dodging an attack, a sudden inspiration struck Daxtin. Reaching over, he grabbed one of the water clones by the arm, and then swung it around with all his might. As he expected, the thing was fairly light and stretched as he swung it about.

"Time for one wild dance!" he shouted, jumping into a group of water forms. Swinging the captive form about, the watery weapon crashed into others of its kind, immediately disrupting and destroying the constructs until the one in his hand disintegrated from use. He quickly grabbed another one and repeated the process, and again, going and going until he reached the man in black. Then, he released the water clone he was wielding and summoned Joiner and Divider, attacking the musician mid-note.

"Amusing," noted the cloaked man, dodging back. Daxtin's strike missed, but the man had stopped playing, and as he did, the water clones stopped appearing. He quickly sidestepped a lightning bolt from Kairi. "Yet undeniably annoying also. Come on, feel the groove."

With this he struck a hard cord on his sitar, and a wall of water shot up in front of him, knocking Daxtin away. Taking a step forwards, he struck another cord, thrusting the sitar at them in a blast of noise and water, another geyser wall of water shooting up out of the sand. He kept walking steadily forwards, each step punctuated by a stirring riff and blast of water, repeatedly knocking Daxtin away, and eventually catching Kairi up in the swirling torrents too as Anya dodged back quickly. When he stopped, Kairi and Daxtin were soaked and bruised from being knocked about, lying on the sand.

"Bastard!" shouted Anya, eyes hardening. Charging at the hooded man, she held the Shadow Lance out, pointed out like a spear or overly long sword. Her grip tightened, and streams of black shot out from between her fingers as they slowly turned dark. But then a screeching darkness shot through her mind, and she stumbled and fell to the ground, her weapon dissipating as she clutched her head in agony.

"No, not now… I can't… can't… can't control it…" she gasped breathlessly as she lay on the ground, kneeled over her fallen head.

"Pathetic," said the hooded figure with a sneer as he walked up to the trembling form of the young girl. "Can't even control your own darkness." Looking around, he jumped back as Daxtin lunged at him. "Slow. I should finish you off where you stand."

"You'll have to catch me first," grinned the boy. Raising his blades, he divided a hole in reality, then joined it to the first world he could find. A corridor of darkness shot open in front of him. Grabbing Kairi and Anya, he dragged them into the portal, which closed up behind him. The hooded man stared at the empty beach.

"Nobody gets away from Organization XIII," hissed the hooded man before opening his own dark portal and leaving.

* * *

Bright colors and indecipherable symbols spun about them as they walked on nothing. Once more, they had returned to Betwixt and Between. 

"Are you alright?" asked Daxtin, looking to Kairi, then Anya.

"Yeah, just a little shaken," replied the younger girl.

"I'm fine," said Kairi. "I don't think he was trying that hard."

"I think your ability to make portals surprised him," said Anya.

"Yeah, well it surprised me too," said Daxtin wryly. "Didn't know I could do that. Somehow… as soon as I needed to, I knew it was what I had to do." He turned then to Kairi. "I'm really sorry to drag you into this."

"No, it's okay," said the girl, shaking her head. "At least now… now I have the chance to look for my friends, instead of just waiting for them, doing nothing. I guess, for that, I should thank you." She smiled at him, and Daxtin looked away a little embarrassed. He had just brought a whole mess of trouble to her, and she was _thanking_ him? Sighing, he shook his head.

"Look out!"

The two older teens jumped into alertness at Anya's warning. All around them, swirls of thorny white became shifting, almost formless white shapes, each identical to the creature that had stolen Daxtin's necklace.

"Dusks!" shouted Kairi in alarm.

"You've seen these things before?" asked Daxtin in surprise. Then did she know what the hooded man and the dancer were too?

"We saw a few of them before," she explained. "Just these kind. I don't know how they're related to that man we met. They aren't Heartless though. I don't know what they are."

"Whatever they are, I don't think they're about to let us through," pointed out Daxtin. "We'll have to fight."

Rather than wait to be attacked, he charged into the fray, aura blades swinging. With each foe he struck down, the orbs set in the blades glowed brighter.

"There's too many!" shouted Kairi. "We're gonna get swarmed under!"

"Then I'll have to…augh!"

Anya fell to her knees, clutching her head, jerking convulsively. Sensing her weakness, the dusks began to close in on her.

"Get away from her!" yelled Daxtin, leaping over the heads of the white enemies and landing before the fallen girl. Striking away the dusks, the orbs of his aura blade burst into fiery light. "Spira Arcanus!"

Letting go of his weapons, the blades spun around him in a circle, orbiting his body and the prone form of Anya. They increased in speed until they were nothing but a whirling blur of a streak around the two of them, sucking in dusks like a vortex. Gradually the blades rose with Daxtin's arms until they formed a spiral vacuum held above his head by his outstretched arms, sucking in every enemy that came near.

"Sephiros Magna!" he shouted. The spinning abruptly stopped, leaving nothing but a floating, glowing mass of dusks imprisoned in a slowly whirling sphere of power above his hands. Leaping into the air, enormous orb of energy held above him, Daxtin centered above the remaining dusks as the power he held gradually blackened into a shining mass of darkness. "Astralis Nigror!"

Throwing it down, the huge crushing ball impacted into the surface of nothing, instantly annihilating many of the dusks under its crushing mass.

"Finis!" cried the warrior, Joiner and Divider appearing in hand. He dove down into the mass of energy and it exploded like a small supernova. When the light faded away, he was left in the center, every enemy destroyed.

"That was amazing!" shouted Kairi as she ran up to him, Anya trailing close behind. "You are so cool!"

"It was nothing," muttered Daxtin embarrassedly, flushing at the compliments.

"Um… thanks. For saving me," said Anya, her face downcast in shame.

"Hey, no biggie. You've saved me too," grinned Daxtin. "Cheer up, we'll get a handle on this darkness thing. I mean, even if you're half a person, you've got two whole friends, right here!"

And somehow, in the back of his mind, that struck Daxtin as false.

* * *

They stepped out of the corridor of darkness and into the shining light. 

"What is this place?" asked Daxtin.

"It's beautiful," murmured Anya quietly.

"This is…" trailed off Kairi, staring out across the cityscape. Then she spun around and showered them with one of her brilliant, candid smiles. "This is Radiant Garden!"


	5. Lord of Radiant Garden

KissKiss: Ah, Kentaro's incorrigable.

* * *

Chapter 4: Lord of Radiant Garden

* * *

Everywhere they looked, they were greeted with shining light and vibrant life. Trees and buildings stood side by side in brilliant architecture that incorporated influences both natural and man-made. The cityscape was a seamless blend of gardens and plazas, made all the more beautiful by the sparkles of light that rained down from the air. 

"Radiant Garden, huh?" asked Daint as they descended the stairs of the tower they had come out on top of. "So you've been here before?"

"Mmhmm!" nodded Kairi with a smile, skipping down the steps two at a time. "I came here with Kir and Diant, so we're friends with a bunch of the people here. I wanna go visit them, okay?"

"Also, they might have information on that black-cloaked man," added Anya softly. Daxtin nodded in agreement, grateful for a useful reason to talk to the people, even though he certainly wasn't going to stop Kairi from visiting with her friends. As they exited the tower, they entered a small plaza that stood between the city's outer wall and a number of residential houses, with streets heading off in three directions, one to either side, following the wall, and one towards the city center. Kairi angled towards the last one, and the two others followed. While Anya walked with a subdued nature, as she was wont to do, Daxtin stared about in amazement. Destiny Islands hadn't been too different from Twilight Town, reminding him of the town by the beach, but he had never seen a city this big. The buildings towered above them, gleaming white next to trees just as tall. Everywhere, people went about their daily lives. It was all so _alive_.

Suddenly, Daxtin was broken out of his reverie as someone bumped into him with a muffled "Excuse me." He was about to say it was no problem, but the person had already disappeared into the crowd.

"He just stole your wallet," pointed out Anya. Daxtin did a quick pat-down of himself, only to find she was right.

"That little sneak!" With that, he took off down the street after the pickpocket, Kairi and Anya trailing close behind. They followed the thief down a series of alleys, finally cornering him in a dead-end with twenty foot walls.

"Whoops," murmured the thief mildly, looking about at his situation.

"Give it back!" yelled Daxtin as he came down the alley after him.

"Well, time to make good on my escape," said the thief, turning and raising a hand. In it was clutched what looked to be a smoke bomb.

"Wait, Kentaro? Is that you?" asked Kairi as she came up behind Daxtin.

"Huh? Kairi?" blinked the thief, stopping in mid-throw as the bomb left his hand. There was a loud pop, followed by a cloud of smoke. When it cleared, the thief was still standing there, looking slightly sheepish. "Um, hi."

"Everyone, I want you to meet Kentaro, a good friend of mine and a compulsive kleptomaniac," introduced Kairi with a smile as she turned back to the stunned Daxtin and Anya. "Kentaro, this is Daxtin, and the quiet one over there is Anya."

"Nice to meet you," grinned the thief. He was a young boy, probably thirteen or fourteen, with the thin, gangly frame of someone crashing through puberty. He wore baggy tan pants that came just short of his seemingly oversized shoes, with white straps along both pants and shoes, including two that crisscrossed behind him. He wore a skin-tight black shirt of triangular shape that wrapped around his neck and chest, and not much else. He also wore oversized gloves shaped like tawny cat paws, and a fuzzy hat in the same color complete with cat ears and big yellow cat eyes. A pair of goggles adorned the rolled back edge of the hat, and the boy's dirty blonde hair stuck out from under it in odd spots, including a tuft that shot out between his eyes. These were strangely feline, as his eyes were yellow, with vertical slits for pupils. Additionally, a number of lines on the sides of his face gave him the appearance of having whiskers. And then there was the tail.

"Is…is it real?" was the first thing that came sputtering out of Daxtin's mouth.

"Huh? Is what real?" asked a confused Kentaro. Following the boy's gaze, he said, "Oh, yeah, it's real," giving the tail a twitch for emphasis. "What'd you think it was?"

"Uh, I… I dunno," admitted Daxtin.

"Not very bright, this one, huh?" he remarked sarcastically, earning a giggle from Kairi and a look of chagrin from the boy in question. He leaped lightly over to Anya. "I'm sure you, on the other hand, are plenty smart, right? Kinda cute too."

At this, the normally taciturn girl blushed.

"Cute, that is, in the 'if-I-was-a-boy-I'd-be-such-gay-pedophile-bait' sort of way," added Kentaro with a mischievous grin. "I mean, she is a girl, right? Anya's a girl's name, right? She just wears suits for no reason, but is actually a girl, right?"

"Now, now, be nice," murmured Kairi, though she was trying hard not to laugh. Anya's eyebrows furrowed as he face set into a slight pout at Kentaro's comments.

"Hey, I was just kidding," chuckled the cat boy.

"So, how've you been?" asked Kairi, changing the subject.

"Pretty good. Things have been fairly quiet since Kir went to Kingdom Hearts, so I guess it turned out all right, huh?"

"Yeah, it did at that," she agreed, though her face said otherwise.

"So then, what brings you here in our time of peace?" grinned Kentaro, oblivious to her subtle facial expressions.

"Well, it may not be as peaceful as you think," interrupted Daxtin.

"You mean there's trouble?" asked the thief. The others nodded. "Then I'd better take you to see everyone else. They'll want to here this." Starting off, he paused, then added, "y'know, if any time's a good time for trouble to come up, now's the time. The King just got back, and he'll definitely want to hear this."

"You know the king?" Daxtin asked Kairi in awe as they followed the boy out into the marketplace and down the street.

"No, I've never met him," admitted the girl. "When I was here, he was off doing some research or something. I don't even know his name."

Meanwhile, Kentaro had motioned Anya forwards, and was leaning towards her to whisper to her.

"By the way," he murmured with a smirk, "I really meant what I said. You are pretty cute."

Anya's face turned red, and it only got worse when the boy leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, before dashing away, laughing loudly.

"Y-y-y-you get back here!" stuttered the young girl angrily, waving her fist about.

"What happened?" asked Daxtin, him and Kairi having been too engrossed in their speculations of what kind of person the king was to notice what was going on.

"N-nothing," she mumbled, looking away from them, her face still red.

"Hey, hurry up, slow-pokes!" yelled Kentaro from up ahead. Shrugging, Daxtin jogged after the boy, Kairi behind him, and Anya trailing in the rear.

* * *

They followed behind the young thief as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, often leading them across precariously placed planks that sometimes were a little shaky and more than once fell just as they got off them. Eventually, they made it to the castle, and entered in through a series of tunnels and access hallways that didn't seem to be used by the general public. 

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, why are we _sneaking_ in to see the king?" asked Daxtin blandly as they dodged a pair of guards on patrol.

"I'm a thief, gotta stay in character," replied Kentaro smoothly.

"Don't listen to him," Kairi smirked. "He's actually not allowed in the castle."

"It's all a misunderstanding," protested the young boy absently. After a few minutes, they finally made it into a better lit area of the castle, presumably above ground and not as suspicious to be walking around in. Turning a few corners, they came out of a side door into the back of a large hallway hemmed in by large windows, one side overlooking the magnificent Rising Falls.

Over on the other side of the hall, gazing out over the watery defiance of gravity, was a young woman with light red, almost pink hair raised up in a spiky, almost warrior-like pony tail top knot, dressed in a vest and hatama pants that failed to cover the sides of her hips. Motioning for the others to be quiet, Kentaro proceeded to sneak up on her.

Making a daring leap, he landed on her back, wrapping his legs around her waist and sliding his arms between her arms and her torso and up, in what might have been a full-nelson, but Daxtin was what afraid was something far less belligerent and more of the perverted nature. As the woman turned with lightning speed, drawing two dangerous looking katana while Kentaro leapt away with cat-like agility, she confirmed his suspicions.

"Didn't I tell you, the next time you grabbed my boobs, you lost your hands?" growled the angry looking woman, her green eyes narrowing. "In fact, I remember giving specific orders to my officers that next time you stuck your head around here, you left without it."

"Pleasure to see you too, Okina," said Kentaro with a grin, jumping back from another swing of the katana. "So how's tricks?"

"Better, until you showed up," answered Okina vehemently. Pausing, she appeared to notice the other three for the first time. Sheathing her swords, she said, "Oh, hey, Kairi. Who're the other two squirts?"

"Hey, Okina," said Kairi with a smile. "Well, the boy's Daxtin, and the girl in the suit's Anya. Anya, Daxtin, this is Okina, Captain of the Guards in Radiant Garden."

"Nice to meetcha," said Daxtin, Anya giving a small nod of greeting behind him. "Um, is it usual for cat-boy to be like that?"

"Pretty much," answered Okina and Kentaro at the same time, though she said it with a grimace, and Kentaro with a grin. "He's damn annoying, but I'm not allowed to kill him since he's useful for gathering information, and he's saved us a few times."

"Admit it, you _like_ me," insinuated the boy in question, sneaking up behind Okina and jumping on her back again. Wrapping his arms around her neck, he proceeded to nuzzle her cheek affectionately. Listening closely, Daxtin noticed he had actually begun to _purr_ as his tail swished lazily back and forth. "Just like everyone else, including the girl over there."

As he pointed to her, Anya flushed bright red.

"What did you do to her?" groaned Okina, eyes rolling skywards. When Kentaro only chuckled, she added, looking at Anya, "Don't mind him or anything he does. He's the biggest flirt ever. I think we caught him hitting on a statue once."

"It looked real!" protested Kentaro.

"And the fact that it was bronze didn't tip you off?" asked the guardian incredulously. "You're dumber than you look, and that's saying something."

"Tease," grinned the boy, licking her cheek with a flash of pink tongue before she grabbed his arm and flung him over her shoulder. "Nyu!"

As Kentaro landed lightly on the carpeted marble, Kairi stepped in before the pair of residents could begin one of their extended bouts.

"Anyway, there's trouble brewing, so we thought we'd tell you guys, and Kentaro mentioned that the king's back. So you think we could see him?" she asked.

"Hmm? Well…" Okina drifted off, thinking about the proposal. Daxtin took this time to look her over, having been too distracted by her quarrelling with Kentaro to do so before. She was taller than him, though not by much. She wore baggy black hatama pants with flames on the bottoms, above her tatami-sandaled and tabi-covered feet. The pants were held up by a thin black cloth belt in the front and back; the sides were non-existant, exposing a healthy amount of hip. Her two katana were sheathed in polished black wood behind her, one poking out to either side. Her pink hair was somewhat unruly, spiking out here and there, especially on her right side, but mostly was pulled back into a pony-tail top-knot, he couldn't decide which it was. She wore no accessories other than two thin black wristbands. The rest of her ensemble consisted of a small black vest, unbuttoned and non-midriff covering, and a short black mesh-top under that. "I guess I can take you to see him.

"Hey, great," smiled Kairi. As she said so, Daxtin guiltily wondered if Okina was wearing a bra under her vest, or if it was just the fishnet there.

Kentaro immediately relieved his curiosity by sneaking up behind Okina and pulling up her vest, flashing everyone else.

"I'll kill you!"

* * *

"Huh? See the king? Heck, you don't need my permission," said the man. "I'm just the tech engineer." 

"And the head of security, and captain of the fleet," pointed out Okina. "And we weren't asking for permission, Cid. We decided rather than saying it twice, we'd just have you listen in the first time."

"Isn't she clever?" purred Kentaro, rendered more or less immobile as Okina scratched behind his beanie's ears in an attempt to keep him from doing anything else. It worked more or less, and in her opinion, trading the use of one hand to assure Kentaro was too happy to get into any sort of mischief was a fair deal.

"Fine then, let me just finish up this line of code," shrugged the man, swiveling his chair back around to face a row of computer screens, each displaying various complex graphs and programs. Cid was a hardy, though not all that tough looking, man in his late twenties or perhaps older, although he'd been denying that he was thirty for the past two years. His brown hair shot out in a tangled mess from the back of his head, sticking out about two to three inches. He also had a mess on his chin that couldn't decide whether it was goatee or a soul patch, and opted to try and imitate both. He wore a loose-fitting white T-shirt and a light blue sports jacket over that, along with baggy canvas pants that were stained with grease and burned in places. Overall, he looked like a fairly average working stiff, complete with half-lidded brown eyes that gave him a perpetually half-asleep look. "Okay, done."

Swiveling back around in his chair, Cid leapt to his feet and followed them out into the corridor. From the security room, which was fairly low in the castle to begin with, it was a short walk through a maze of twisted corridors to the door that led to the king's office, the one actually used for work, and not playing political games with the public. Opening the door, they were admitted into a circular room with a tall ceiling. In the center of the office was a round wooden desk. Bookshelves lined the walls, and a number of scenic paintings also hung there. Odd machines and mechanisms were scattered here and there on the shelves and desk, many of which shone or gleamed or bubbled with strange liquids. A chalkboard behind the desk was covered in layer upon layer of diagrams and formulas. A high-backed leather chair was rotated to face the board, showing only its back to them as they entered, and concealing who sat there.

"This is where the king spends most of his time, researching and planning," Okina murmured to Kairi, Daxtin, and Anya. Then she warned, "Be polite." Then, she turned towards the desk and the chair behind it and said in a louder voice, "Your Majesty, I come with esteemed guests bearing urgent news, Kairi, Daxtin, and Anya by name. We request and audience with you."

"Granted," came a voice from behind the chair. Okina went on to introduce him as the chair and the figure within it slowly turned around to face them.

"Kairi, Daxtin, Anya. I humbly introduce you to our wise King Ansem."


	6. A Long and Sordid History

Shortcut, du du du du du du: Fanime was awesome. Watched True Naruto Style. Saw lots of keyblades. Other than Axel and Roxas, the most popular Organization XIII cosplay was Marluxia. Also, good to see Lady Hitokiri. But will I ever get any new fans? And now, to clear up many things:

* * *

Chapter 5: A Long and Sordid History

* * *

"Ansem?" yelled Kairi, jumping back in surprise as the king turned to face them. However, her initial shock turned to confusion as she found herself looking at a grizzled, hard-eyed middle aged man rather than the smooth, handsome yet dangerous man with lightning-blue eyes she had expected. "Wait… Ansem?" 

"Your confusion is duly noted," murmured the man in a deep gravelly voice. His dark blue, almost black eyes were deep set in his face in a network of creases and hard-worn lines from years of age and work. He had a solid, blocky jaw, covered with dirty-blonde stubble, as opposed to the smooth, clean-shaven face that Kairi had always associated with the name "Ansem". His hair, set above a high and creased with age and worry forehead, was the same dirty blonde as his sparse beard, short and shot up and out, favoring towards one side in its spikes, giving him a wind-blown and travel-worn look. This image was further enhanced by the deep auburn scarf wrapped around his neck, thick and loose, covering up his chin and neck. Beneath this he wore a red mantle lined with gold, and inset with a staggered edged hole in the center that revealed the three-pronged crown symbol of the Kingdom set on the chest of his shirt on a complex background. He looked less like a king, and more of a well-traveled wise-man.

"Ah, forgive me, I forgot to explain, Kairi," started Okina. "The Ansem you know–"

"I can explain that well enough myself," interrupted the king gruffly, but without reprimand in his voice.  
"But, your Majesty," the captain of the guards began to protest.

"And do drop the formalities," he added. "They're so tiring. Besides, there's nothing majestic about an old man who's made more than his fair share of mistakes."

Despite being the in the presence of royalty, Daxtin grinned. He _liked_ this man. King or not, he got to the point without the nose-in-the-air attitude Daxtin had seen some people take, and _that_, he could respect.

"So, first, I think introductions are in order," began the king. "First, my name is indeed Ansem. It is a name steeped in tradition and passed down from father to son, or from the current king to his successor when there is no heir in the immediate family. As for the Ansem that you are familiar with, who tried not long ago to open Kingdom Hearts, a delusional quest spurred by his being taken over by the darkness… that man was my son."

At this, Kairi gave a little gasp, and the others went quiet, but Daxtin and Anya were left a little clueless, having no context to this information.

"And now, for you," continued Ansem. "I take it you are familiar with my vassals. And I also know of, through them and other means, Kairi, one of the seven princesses of heart, but I do not recognize these other two."

"I'm Daxtin," volunteered the boy before motioning to the girl behind him, "and this is Anya. She's currently on the run from her sister, a sinister and mysterious person, and I'm just a stander-by that got swept up with them." He deliberately neglected to mention Anya's status as someone who walked in darkness.

"I see," murmured the king, hands steepled before him. Nodding, he then stood up, revealing his long sleeved red shirt, belted with a thick golden sash. Under this was a long cloak falling to one side over dark red pants, and a leather belt hanging crooked opposite it, holding a series of large, flat cards. "I think a bit of education is in order, for their benefit, and to inform everyone of new developments. This room is scholarly enough, but the computer room is much more convenient than turning over every shelf looking for the correct book to illustrate what I am about to tell you."

Turning, the king walked over to a blank section of wall in the circular room. Lifting his hand, he placed his palm on a section of the wall that lit up at his touch. There was a tingling flash of light, and a large section of wall disappeared, revealing a hidden passage way. Stepping through the new doorway, he proceeded around the corridor, not pausing to see if anyone followed. Shrugging, Daxtin went after him, followed by Kairi and Anya, the rear brought up by Cid, Okina and Kentaro. Leaving Ansem's office, they entered a walkway suspended high above the ground.

"What is this?" asked Daxtin in an awed voice. The room was enormous, the floor stories below and the ceiling just as high above. The room extended until it blurred white into obscurity with the stark lighting. Lining the walls were thousands of pods, each shining and flashing with light, occasionally rippling with a flickering tongues of lightning. The walkway they stood on only covered a small part of the wall, hugging a few corners before disappearing into a control room that Ansem had walked into.

"This is the castle's database and power generator," said Okina knowledgably. Then she admitted. "I've never actually seen it however."

"I have to come here sometimes when I need to tinker with the source, or fix any major glitches," said Cid with a shrug as they continued along the walkway, staring out across the room before turning and entering the control room.

Inside, the room was more cold metal like the walkway outside. The entire front of the room was dominated by a window that looked out across the database, underneath which was a long row of control panels, central to which was a large screen. Opposite of this, at the back of the room, was a large circular design of pipes and wires, all orbiting a large gleaming red light. Across from where they entered was another door, leading down to the database floor. Ansem stood before the monitor of the computer, booting up the interface system as they came in.  
"Greetings, user," said a friendly male voice as the screen flickered into life, displaying a series of windows and programs.

"And good day to you, Tron," murmured Ansem good-naturedly to the computer.

"Ah, Ansem. And what can I do for you?"

"I'm about to teach a history lesson to some guests," answered the king. "You should know what files to call up. Remember to include the new information I loaded upon return here."

"You got it," said the computer smartly. While the program went to work, Ansem explained.  
"This is Tron, a security program that we estimate to be as old as the castle. He also runs user-interface and more or less controls and organizes the whole mainframe. Between him and Cid, they run all the automated defenses in the town."

"Okay, back," chirped Tron from the console. "Which files do you want first?"

"I suppose a basic education is in order first, to put all of this into context. Could you project the holograms for the Heartless and Nobodies?"

Instantly, pillars of light flickered on the ground beside Ansem before resolving into solid shapes. One was a Shadow, the little black creatures that Daxtin had encountered before. The other was one of the white things that they had just fought recently.

"Now, when a heart is separated from its body, it becomes swallowed in darkness," started Ansem. "In time, this lost heart becomes the creature you see before you, a Heartless. Creatures of spawned of darkness and emotion, they have almost no thoughts. They act on instinct, drawn by the hearts of others. They hunger for hearts, and not just the hearts of people, but for the hearts of worlds also. When they devour these hearts, the devoured in turn also become Heartless. Though always present, the heartless tend to surge in population every fifty to a hundred years. They are the darkness in people's hearts, and as long as that exists, so shall they."

"So, they all look like that?" asked Daxtin.

"Actually, no. There are greater forms, and many times in history people have artificially created Heartless of all kinds and sorts. On top of this, there have been rare reported cases of people who became Heartless, yet retained their ego, their sense of self, and sometimes, even their form. There's famous example that I will get to in a bit." Snapping his finger, the image of the Heartless disappeared and he turned to the white creature. "This is a Nobody."

"A… Nobody?" asked Anya curiously.

"Yes. A person is made of three components: heart, soul, and body. When the heart is removed, as when a Heartless is created, what happens to the body and soul? In most cases, without the heart, these just lose cohesion and return to nothing. However, with certain strong-willed individual, it continues existence. With a will and purpose, but no heart, these empty shells continue to live a twilight life, between light and dark, accepted by neither. That is what a Nobody is. In truth, they don't really exist, except as shadows of their hearts. They become the other side of the heart, a mirror reflection, an illusion almost. Like the Heartless, they come in many forms, though are much rarer and less diverse than the Heartless for obvious reasons. Also, people with strong enough will can often retain their normal physical appearance and mental state with only minor changes. But with no heart, they have no emotions, just facades that imitate them." The picture of the dusk faded, and then was replaced by a floating object, a keyblade, specifically, the Kingdom Key. "Lastly is the Keyblade. It is the key to all our destinies and to Kingdom Hearts, the great heart that is the source and end of all hearts. Choosing a keyblade wielder, this key can lock worlds from the Heartless, and release their hearts from the darkness. An ancient report details that 'one story says that the keyblade wielder saved the universe and brought peace to it. Another says that he brought chaos and destruction'. In my belief, both are true. The keyblade is not inherently made of light or dark. It all lays its user."

"But, why would the keyblade choose an evil wielder?" interrupted Kairi.  
"Because, I don't think it sees in terms of good and evil. It merely sees in terms of potential. For every record of the Keyblade wielders, the one thing that is consistent is that they brought great change about." At this, he turned to the computer screen, the image of the Kingdom Key disappearing. "Which brings us to the keyblade wielders."

"There's… more than one?" question Daxtin, having trouble wrapping his head around all this.

"Not at any one time, not generally no," answered Ansem, "but over the course of history there have been many. This boy, for instance, was, as far as any records I found could say, the first key bearer." The screen displayed a round stain-glass picture depicting a young boy. The boy's hair was a long black, done in braids. Something about his clothes, even his face, gave the picture a very archaic look. In his right hand, he held the keyblade. Oddly, the picture seemed somehow familiar to Daxtin. "Although he may not actually be the first keyblade wielder, we do know this: he was the first to face the entity known as No Heart. Little is known about No Heart, though he seems to be connected intimately with Kingdom Hearts. Every resurgence of the Heartless and the crusade of the Keyblade Master against them marks a relatively small period of time. Further interspersed in these are the times when the Nobodies become involved. And marking the great epochs, the ends and beginnings of eras, are the times when No Heart appears. So far, in memorable history, this has only happened twice. First, with this boy, whose name is forgotten in time, and approximately five-hundred years later," he said, as the picture was replaced with a series of faces and portraits, each depicting a keyblade wielder as it flashed by before settling on one picture, "by this boy. Sora."

"Sora…?" mumbled Daxtin, half to himself, shaking his head. All those faces had seemed familiar, but why? Where had he seen them before? He looked closely at the computer screen again. The currently displayed keyblade wielder had spiky brown hair and an open, honest face with bright blue eyes.

"Yes. This boy was around not long after the creation of this world, and the rule of the original King Ansem. Tron actually met him, though the records of their experiences have since been lost. Also, it might be of interest of you to know that he knew Kairi, the source of your namesake," mentioned Ansem, turning to the teenage girl. An image flashed on screen of a red-haired girl, about the same age as Kairi. This girl had a deeper shade of hair, but similar blue eyes, and though there were definite differences, there was also an almost unnerving similarity in their expressions and countenances. After a moment, the screen returned to the picture of the Keyblade Master. "This boy, Sora, is the second to face No Heart, as a man named Xehanort, apprentice of Ansem. Xehanort had split into two when Sora faced him. His Heartless, who stole the name of his mentor, was one of the alleged Heartless who maintained ego and form. His Nobody then took the name Xemnas, an anagram of Ansem, with X as a symbol of his betrayal to, or perhaps by, the light and the dark, as he became a non-being of nothing. Almost all nobodies who maintain their identity and form are given similar names. Also, this was the first appearance of Organization XIII, a group of individuals seeking Kingdom Hearts, and the problem we face today. Originally, they were all Nobodies, trying to find Kingdom Hearts in an attempt to make themselves whole, to fill their empty shells. Xemnas was their leader. Since their defeat, the name has popped up multiple times. Over time, it has lost its meaning as an order of Nobodies, and become an organization of thirteen individuals, all working together to achieve Kingdom Hearts, though for various reasons. Some, merely for power, others to regain lost homes, and still others to restore themselves. To this day, they still sport black cloaks to hide themselves in."

"So how long ago was this?" asked Daxtin.

"About another four or five hundred years," said Ansem. "And that brings us to the present. The most recent wielder of the Keyblade has been Kir, Kairi's friend. Through many trials and obstacles, he sought out and overcame my son, who had become a servant of the darkness in his travels and studies. I only pray a similar fate has not befallen my other son."

"Okay, so let me get this straight," said Daxtin. "Kir just saved Kingdom Hearts from the bad Ansem. But now, Organization XIII, the guys in the black cloaks, is after Kingdom Hearts again. And how do they intend to get it?"

"I'm afraid I cannot say," said Ansem sadly.

"Um…well, do you know what my sister, Emeline is up to in all this?" asked Anya. "She's a witch who controls paper."

"Is that so?" asked the king curiously. "Most interesting. However, I have never heard of, nor have any information about such a person."

"Oh," sighed Anya, looking slightly crestfallen.

"In truth, we know very little about the current situation," admitted Ansem. "However, it is imperative that you find Kir. He is the keyblade wielder, and therefore the key to all of this."

Suddenly, an alarm went off, and flashing lights painted the room red with their angry glares, cutting off any time for further questions.

"Heartless are attacking the town, Ansem!" came Tron's urgent warning. "It's more than just the usual raid too."

"Okina, gather your men and deal with it," commanded Ansem. "Tron, are you fine in handling the defense system yourself?" After an affirmative, he then said, "Okay, then, Cid, you go with Okina."

"We'll help also!" volunteered Kentaro, Kairi agreeing with him quickly. Daxtin gave a nod to confirm his eagerness to help, Anya stepping forwards behind them.

"Well then, you have your orders," said the king gravely. "Get to it!"


	7. The Face of a Faceless Enemy

Dosu... come out, Dosu: Today's tip of the day is "Don't write yourself into a corner". It's not fun.

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* * *

**

Chapter 6: The Face of a Faceless Enemy

* * *

Outside was total chaos. Heartless of all kinds swarmed the street. Shadows and neo-shadows, tall sapient versions of shadows, were everywhere. Heartless dressed like little tin soldiers and large body versions of them lashed out at citizens as winged air soldiers swooped down from above. Various wizard Heartless flew about casting spells, shooting fire and ice wherever they went. Armored knight Heartless clashed swords with guards. Meanwhile, orbs of light suspended between arcane patterns moved around the street and shot up at Heartless, the automated defense system at work. And though the trained warriors of Radiant Garden were far more skilled than the Heartless and supported by the city's defenses, more and more of the wriggling black creatures kept on coming. 

"You four go that way, Cid and I will head this way!" shouted Okina at a fork in the road, both of her katana drawn and ready. Cid wielded a wicked looking spear with curved and hooked blades with deadly proficiency, destroying Heartless with seemingly no effort. Nodding, Daxtin and the others watched them head off down the street before turning and heading down the other street.

As they headed down the street, Heartless abandoned defenseless people for the more threatening warriors that came rushing in. Daxtin spun with a skill and proficiency that came from street brawls with struggle bats, giving him experience in handling multiple enemies. The key was to keep moving, never letting yourself get boxed in. Meanwhile, long claws had extended from Kentaro's paw-like gloves, and he moved with lightning speed, destroying Heartless with furious flurries of strikes, nimbly dodging attacks. Kairi cleaned up the Heartless they left with her magic, occasionally healing them as their strength flagged, Anya beside her, timidly jabbing out with her Shadow Lance at the occasional Heartless that wandered too close. The lance flickered periodically, and she held it tentatively, as if afraid to grip it tightly, afraid to accept it.

* * *

"Come on, come on, come on!" said a cloaked figure frantically, stomping her foot on the ground impatiently. "Why is this taking so long?" 

"Well, we _are_ trying to siphon this entire world's darkness into one spot," said the black-clad figure next to her with measured pace. She stood about half a foot taller than the other, bringing her to almost six feet. "Calm down, already."

"I _am_ calm," asserted the first figure, fingers twitching restlessly.

"Um… a-are you sure that we can… um, control th-this?" asked the shortest figure timidly. She stood a little behind the other two, trying to distance herself from the intricate magic circle and the sphere of darkness growing in the center. Even though they all had their hoods up, making it impossible to see their faces, it was easy to see she was flushed with nervousness and eyes downcast.

"Of course," said the tall one confidently.

"Hell yes," shouted the first woman. Then she muttered, "Jeez, grow a pair."

"Stop your bickering," said the second figure, tilting her head as if listening to something far off. "Here it comes."

The darkness in the giant circle expanded, then grew upwards. An enormous clawed hand stretched up, grasping at the sky.

"Magnificent," she commented admiringly.

"Cool," grinned the first.

"Um… c-can we, um, go now?" asked the third girl quietly.

"Our job's done. No need to stick around," shrugged the tall one.

"Might as well grab some good seats for the show," laughed the first cloaked figure. Dark portals opened before them, and they disappeared.

Meanwhile, the creature in the summoning circle continued to grow, clawing its way into existence.

* * *

"What the hell is that?" shouted Daxtin, pointing. A number of streets away, a giant black hand stretched above the buildings and into the sky. 

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good," noted Kentaro, leaping above a sword thrust before kicking the offending Heartless in the face then clawing it into oblivion. "Should probably check it out."

Anya and Kairi came running up behind them then, both weary but still battle-ready.

"Um… does anyone else notice that there aren't any more Heartless coming?" asked Anya quietly. Looking around, they noticed this was true. Here and there, clumps of guards pushed back diminishing packs of shadows, soldiers, and large bodies. Daxtin jumped to the side as something whistled past his head from behind. Though he only saw it for a moment, he could have sworn it looked like a Heartless. Suddenly, they watched in surprise as other Heartless flew into the air towards the rising hand, like metal filings towards a magnet. All over the city, black figures shot into the sky and were absorbed into the growing figure as three more arms rose up into the air, followed by tendrils of darkness.

"Definitely need to get over there," agreed Daxtin absently before taking off in a run.

Okina and Cid ran out of a side street onto the central road, the Captain of the Guards flying in a flurry of blades, annihilating all that stood in her path. Cid flew with momentous leaps, jumping from enemy to enemy, killing each one with prodigious downward thrusts, riding his spear to the ground like a meteor before moving onto the next Heartless. As they continued to the gates, Kairi and the others shot out of another side street to join them.

"You have any clue what that is?" yelled Okina as she dismembered another neo-shadow with grace and precision.

"Bad news, cutie," answered Kentaro flippantly as he slid between the legs of a large body and stabbed it in the back. As they approached the gates, the concentration of Heartless that hadn't yet been sucked into the looming monstrosity grew. Then, there was a blast of wind, and every Heartless disappeared as they flew into the air, not a single one left as the growing dark figure sucked them all in. The street was left empty. Almost.

"Well, well, well," murmured a deep, melodious voice. A tall black cloaked figure of medium build stood in the gates before the Rising Falls, his back to them as he watched the monster in the basin become taller and taller. Turning, he then said, "Hmph. I would have thought Kir would be here. How disappointing."

"Organization XIII!" exclaimed Daxtin with a surprised shout.

"Precisely," said the figure. Snapping his fingers, dark portals opened behind him and eleven black-cloaked figures stepped out to stand beside him. "But who are you? What part do you play, you who are nothing?"

"What are you talking about?" he demanded, swinging Joiner and Divider at them menacingly, stepping forwards.

"Everything has a place in our plan," explained a familiar voice, stepping up next to the first figure. Smooth and calm, it was unmistakably the man who had attacked them with water in Destiny Islands. "Yet you were not part of it."

"Why are you people doing this?" shouted Daxtin, enraged at their refusal to talk in anything but riddles. Face set and determined, he settled into a battle-ready position, preparing to charge the group of black cloaked figures.

"Well. You look just like him," noted the first figure.

"What do you mean?"

Under his hood, the first figure smiled. "Tell me: why do you believe we are so wrong? What is so wrong with us trying to fulfill Kingdom Hearts? Why would you stop us from making ourselves whole, from filling the gaps in our lives?"

"Because what you do is wrong!" asserted the boy.

"And how do you know that?"

"Because…" he paused, then said, "Because my heart tells me so!"

At this, a number of the cloaked figures began laughing, some loudly, the others in quiet chuckles. The first figure smiled smugly in the shadows of his cloak.

"What's so funny?" demanded the boy, his blue eyes flickering with anger and frustration, his knuckles white as he gripped his aura blades.

"If you want to know the joke then come to the World That Never Was. You'll find out then," replied the first before disappearing into a dark portal. One by one, all the other figures disappeared until the second was the only one left, the one who had attacked them with water before.

"That is, of course, if you don't die first," he said before disappearing into his own swirling darkness. And then they were alone.

"So that's Organization XIII," murmured Cid, coming up to Daxtin, who was trembling with pent up rage.

"I wonder what that was about," Kairi said curiously.

"I don't know!" burst Daxtin. "I don't know. But I swear, I will find out."

"That's nice and all," interrupted Kentaro, padding up the street beside them, "but I think we have bigger problems. Literally."  
The giant black figure loomed above them. It had stopped growing, and now stood high above them. It was large of chest and wielded four arms, each as thick around as one of the towers of the nearby castle. Tentacles of darkness swarmed from its back, more radiating from the back of its hunched head, black and featureless except for two enormous glowing eyes. Its lower body was lost below in the Rising Falls, covered by the mist churned by the water striking its body on the way up.

"I've named him Rape-kun," declared Kentaro suddenly.

"What?" asked the others incredulously.

"'Big-black-ugly-thing-with-lots-of-tentacles-and-stuff' didn't sound as catchy," the thief explained.

"From now on, we refer to it as Behemoth," countered Okina in a tone that brooked no argument. "Now shut up and fight."

* * *

"These _are_ good seats," murmured the tall woman appreciatively from where she stood on Behemoth's shoulder. 

"Of course. What better place to view the carnage from than from the source?" grinned the medium one. Throwing back her hood, she revealed a cute grinning face of pale complexion, framed by long blonde bangs that parted to either side of her head in long locks. The rest of her hair was pulled back in a long, tall pony tail, bound up in pink ribbon. Her blue eyes flashed happily as she looked down at the puny figures standing before them. "Ah, such a nice breeze up here."

"Um… could you please help me?" asked the shortest figure. She was concentrating, and beads of sweat rolled down her face under her hood. "It's getting r-really strong, and it's all I can do to keep it from throwing us off or going on a, a rampage. I can't make it fight without losing control."

"Oh, you wuss," spat the blonde, walking over with the tall cloaked woman. As they added their strength to that of the short girl's, they slowly subdued the giant Heartless into obedience. "So, what did you think of the boy? Xencarsse found him interesting."

"Didn't seem too interesting," murmured the tall one. "He lacks XIII's conviction and confidence."

"Is-Isn't he…?" asked the short one, her voice trailing off. The tallest woman nodded, her cloak jingling as she did. "Then, is it really okay to, um… kill him? I mean, XIII would want-"

"Why should we care what XIII wants?" interjected the blonde. "That brat can rot for all I care. He's just the newest tool. Okay, everyone got a firm hold on this thing?" The other two Organization members nodded. "Okay, then let's go. Get'em, Rape-kun!"

They stared at the blonde silently, disbelief written all over their hidden faces.

"What?"

* * *

"Here it comes!" shouted Cid as a giant fist came crashing down. They all dodged in different directions as the huge pillar of darkness crushed the street, bricks and tiles flying everywhere. "All aboard!" 

The others watched as Cid leapt and ran up Behemoth's arm before quickly following. As they dashed up the gigantic limb, bubbles of darkness formed in the air around them before turning into Heartless that rained down on them. As they fought their way up the arm, which was slowly drawing up into the air, Anya noticed that the Heartless they destroyed were absorbed into the black skin they ran up. The thought passed from her mind as she dodged a thick punch from a large body before impaling it on her lance.

"Look out!" cautioned Okina, pointing into the air. Overhead, another arm loomed ominously before coming down at them. Anya and Kairi, near the back, dodged downwards on the arm, while Kentaro and Cid dodged upwards. Okina and Daxtin, however, were trapped in a knot of Heartless, and it seemed they would be crushed by the coming hand.

"There's no way out!" yelled Daxtin with alarm at their approaching doom.

"Then let's make one!" retorted Okina with a grim smile. Crouching down, she held her blades out to her sides, lightning dancing across her blades as she gathered energy, the air rushing out from beneath her in a circle. "Follow my lead."

Turning, Okina launched several Heartless into the air while Daxtin did the same. Then she leapt up at the oncoming hand. Jumping from Heartless to Heartless, she pushed off them, launching herself higher and higher with increasing momentum. Suddenly though, they ran out of launch pads at their height. Okina angled over to Daxtin, and catching his foot on the flat of her blades, launched him higher, and throwing herself down. She pushed off of an air soldier that had given pursuit and shot up again behind the rocketing boy.

With both their momentum combined, and Okina trailing behind him with only the force she gained from jumping off that last Heartless, it was obviously up to Daxtin to punch through the Behemoth's hand. The orb inset in Divider flashed brightly. Taking his cue, he dismissed Joiner and took the black aura blade in both hands.

"Grand Line!" he shouted as he slashed upwards at the giant's palm. Divider burst into flaring blue-green flame and easily sliced through Behemoth's hand, punching a hole right through it. Daxtin shot out of there, Okina behind him as the hand smashed onto the other arm, crushing the pursuing Heartless and nearly getting Kairi and the others too. Okina landed on the back of the titan's palm, but Daxtin kept going, flying until he landed on the beast's forearm with a downwards slash, plunging his burning blade into the pulsing black flesh. Without pausing for a moment, he hit the ground running, trailing his blade behind him as he cut a huge crevasse up the monster's arm, shining light shooting out of the wound behind him as he charged up Behemoth's arm. With amazing speed, he dashed up to the creature's shoulder before leaping up and plunging his blade down, the entire monster shaking as he hit down. The moment he did, the long trailing wound burst open, shaking with explosions of energy, the entire arm disintegrating in the force of the blow, leaving trailing tendrils of darkness where it had once been.

"Hey, watch it!" shouted Okina as she landed next to Cid back on the first arm. "You almost killed me!"

Daxtin didn't hear her though. He was staring at the three figures before him, all clad in the black cloaks that marked them as members of Organization XIII.

"Y'know, up close, he's kinda cute," said the blonde, the only one with her hood off. "He's mine."

"Fine," said the tallest one. "Me and Fuuen are enough to control this beast."

"Hello there," said the blonde with a smile, approaching Daxtin. "My name's Exeamine. What's yours?"


	8. Battle on the Giant's Back

Depressing: Well, I hope you'll still read, even though it's "one of those after-the-fact fics". Oh, and some of the original characters will make appearances. 3 of them, to be exact. Anyway, hope you enjoy the fic despite a lack of canon characters.

* * *

Chapter 7: Battle on the Giant's Back

* * *

"Tell me what he meant!" demanded Daxtin, ignoring the girl's introduction. 

"Who, the Superior? Well, if I told you that, he'd get really mad at me, and I wouldn't want that now would I?" replied Exeamine with a vicious grin. "But perhaps if you could beat me…" Her voice trailed off, the offer clear. Holding her hand up above her head, a single pink petal fell out of the air to her open palm. As it touched her hand, gloved in black, it shimmered, and in a flash of light was replaced by a long, wicked scythe. The green handle was long and slightly curved, going up to the cross like points that supported the long, pink blade that curved gracefully. "Prepare to face Organization Member X, the Lovely Reaper!"

* * *

"Incoming!" warned Cid loudly. Kicking off of a menacing knight, he shot out of the battle field down the Heartless's arm, grabbing Kairi and Anya as he shot by. Passing Okina on her way out of the falling hand, he skidded to a stop, then coiled his legs and leapt with the prodigious power of a master dragoon. Flying up towards the hand that moments before threatened to smash them, he reached the apex of his arc, just short of the arm. Throwing the girls up onto the giant shadow limb of Behemoth, he then swung out with his spear, stabbing into the thick skin of the monster. Sighing in relief at having avoided falling back underneath the hand, he gave a grunt of pain as his back was used by Kentaro as a stepping stone to give him the final boost up onto the arm with Kairi and Anya. "Screw you!" 

"Hurry up," said Okina with a straight face as the engineer clambered up onto the limb. Running up the forearm, they staggered as the hand smashed onto the arm they had originally been on, killing any number of Heartless that had appeared and absorbing them into the monstrosity. Even though one arm had been destroyed, Behemoth gave no indication of slowing down. "We have to get to the head. Kill that, and the rest doesn't matter."

"There are people up there," observed Anya quietly as they ran. "One's Daxtin… they're fighting." They stopped short as more Heartless appeared to stop them on their ascent of the beast.

"Hold on, Daxtin," said Kairi worriedly before becoming engulfed in the battle.

* * *

"Is that all you have?" laughed Exeamine, dodging easily as Daxtin swung out with both aura blades, over extending himself. With an easy flick of her wrists she knocked him in the gut with the flat of her scythe, sending him flying backwards. "I just saw you slash the frickin' arm off this sucker! Don't tell me that was it!" 

Daxtin skidded to a halt, landing hard on his feet before charging back at her. He blocked as she sent a pink arc of energy flying his way from the blade of her weapon, then dodged as she rushed forwards in a flurry of petals with an upwards slash. Seeing an opening, he slashed down at her exposed back, only to be knocked away again as she jumped and spun in the air, jamming the butt of her scythe into his stomach. Quickly, Daxtin used a boost of energy to reorient himself in midair before he fell off of Behemoth, then executed a flip before shooting down at her, blades out. Slamming down, he struck with a double downwards strike with both blades, the swift Nobody jumping up into the air out of the way. Reacting quickly, he threw Divider without hesitation at her, her scythe coming up too slow to block. The blow knocked her out of the air and she landed hard on the ground next to where the other two Organization members concentrated on using Behemoth to eliminate Daxtin's allies.

"Not bad," she grinned, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth. "Maybe I should take you seriously." There was a flash of light as she disappeared and a scattered cloud of pink flower petals where she had stood only a moment before. "Hello," she whispered from behind him.

Daxtin cried out in pain as the blade slashed down his back, just barely moving forwards in time to avoid a fatal blow. Spinning about, he barely blocked her next slash then dodged back as she shot another energy scythe slicing at him.

"You really sure you want the answers?" asked Exeamine, her voice tinged with amusement. "You sure aren't fighting very hard for them." Appearing behind him in a shower of petals, she mused, "Maybe I should just kill you now."

Cold steel pierced his skin as his vision filled pink and red with petals and blood.

* * *

Kairi crested the monster Heartless's shoulder just in time to see Exeamine slash open Daxtin with her long, cruel scythe. 

"Daxtin!" she shouted, running forwards, the other four right behind her. "Fire!"

Exeamine jumped away from the stricken Daxtin, easily dodging the incoming projectile. The boy hit the ground hard, bleeding profusely from the twin slashes across his back.

Kairi slid to a halt beside Daxtin, already at her knees and cradling the fallen boy. Okina and the others came to halt between her and the three Organization members, taking defensive positions.

"Well, well, the gang's all here," said a bemused Exeamine as Kairi worked her spells to heal Daxtin. Looking about, the Nobody noted, "Six to one's hardly fair, don't you think? Fuuen, Maieri, care to help?"

"We _are_ trying to keep control of this lumbering menace we're standing on, or didn't you notice?" said the tall one blandly.

"Pff. Just use half of your mind to do that, half to fight," sneered the blonde. "Easy enough. Hell, I'll even help you with it."

"Well, then," replied the other, relaxing and shaking out her arms to limber herself up. "I'll take the dragoon."

"Fine with me," grinned Cid. "Up there," he said, pointing upwards towards the giant Heartless's head. When the tall Organization member nodded, he leapt up as she disappeared into a portal of darkness.

"Kentaro, you're coming with me to get the blonde," commanded Okina.

"She's mine," asserted Daxtin, rising unsteadily to his feet. His arms shook, but his eyes were steady with determination. Okina looked at him, pausing before replying.

"Fine. We'll take the short one. You three can have her."

"M-me?" asked the shortest Organization member, backing away as Okina and Kentaro approached her. With a wave of her hands, a strong gust of wind kicked up, blowing the two of them back before picking up the diminutive girl in the black cloak and flying her across the beast's chest to the other shoulder. The captain of the guard and the thief took off after her immediately.

"Tch. Be that way," smiled Exeamine, watching her two partners leave. "Well, three brats should be easy enough."

"You're not any older than us!" pointed out Kairi, getting ready to fight.

"Heh. 'Brat' doesn't refer to your age," said the reaper before disappearing in a storm of pink. She finished from behind them, "It just refers to your uselessness."

* * *

"So, what's your name, lovely lady?" asked Cid flippantly as they stood amid the curling darkness atop Behemoth's head. 

"How do you know I'm lovely?" asked the hooded figure.

"I'm never wrong," said Cid smugly as she pulled back her hood, revealing her face. Her eyes were thin and ice blue, her mouth smug. Her white skin was framed by tumbling locks of light blue hair that escaped from under and above the white cloth she wore knotted at her forehead. A large pony tail from just above the band fell and mixed with a shock of hair from under it that covered her right eye mostly, curving off to caress a long strand that was tied and braided there. The majority of her hair tumbled down her back midway down. "See? I was right."

"So you were," agreed the woman. "My name's Maieri."

"I'm Cid," grinned the man, brandishing his spear. "You gonna fight without a weapon?"

"Number XII, the Frost Queen, is _never_ without a weapon," she said with a thin smile, holding out her right hand. The air crackled with cold around her, and ice shot out in a long, jagged shard from her hand, forming a dangerous looking sword on her arm.

"Well, this should be interesting," murmured the engineer, frost tingeing his beard as he smirked.

* * *

"Ah…n-nice to meet you!" said the short girl, bowing suddenly and taking Okina and Kentaro by surprise with her politeness. As her head came back up, her hood fell back, revealing the face of a young girl, maybe fourteen years old, with medium length black hair that covered almost all of her shy face except one large brown eye, held out of the way by a pair of white hair clips. Also, he cloak differed from the others in that the sleeves were overly long and wide-mouthed, completely covering her hands, and she wore a white sash around her midriff, all giving her a cutesy diminutive look, like a small child. "My name is Fuuen. I'm number XI, the Whirlwind Dancer."

"She's just a kid!" exclaimed the cat-boy in shock.

"And so are you," reminded Okina. "Don't underestimate her."

Pulling back her right sleeve, Fuuen revealed a folded fan, which she opened with a deft flick of her wrist, revealing a white paper with no pattern but a print of the Organization's symbol, the cross and upside-down heart.

"Um… let's begin, if you're ready," she said timidly.

* * *

Even with three people, the fight against Exeamine seemed hopeless, a task not helped by the constant appearance of Heartless which attacked them. The Lovely Reaper held no regard for these allies, destroying any that got in her way as if they weren't even there. 

"Hahaha! Now _this_ is fun!" she laughed, her giggles like the tinkling of glass chimes. She swirled in mid air, releasing a shockwave of energy that blew away Kairi's magic and buffeted Anya and Daxtin, sending them flying back down to the Behemoth's shoulder. Raising her scythe high in one hand, she brought it down in one swift slash, sending an enormous arcing energy scythe at them. Anya and Kairi dodged to one side, Daxtin to the other. Then suddenly, she was behind the boy, scythe poised to strike.

"Bye-bye," she said with a smile before slashing down.

However, Anya was there, her hair and clothes flying up in a surge of energy shooting up from all around her, Exeamine's scythe blocked by the Shadow Lance, that deepest black darkness given form. She gripped it so tight, her knuckles should have been white with strain, but instead were black with the creeping shadows of her true nature. As the Nobody watched with widening eyes, the darkness crept across the girl's face, towards eyes already black except for glowing white points. Suddenly, however, she staggered, and fell back, clutching her head with her free hand as the Shadow Lance disappeared.

"Anya!" cried Daxtin in surprise as the girl stumbled. Quickly recovering, XII swiftly slammed the suited girl with the butt of her scythe, then sent the girl flying back with a powerful slash of her blade.

"Now, where were we?" mused Exeamine, returning her attention to the stricken boy lying before her. "Ah, yes, your death."

"Thunder!"

She grunted in pain and shock as a lightning bolt came crashing down, striking her upraised scythe.

"You little bitch," she hissed, turning to Kairi. Charging forwards with unnatural speed, she twirled, disappearing as Kairi's fireball tore through a cloud of petals, appearing behind her, then cutting her down with ease. "See ya."

"Kairi!" shouted Daxtin, stumbling to his feet.

"And what are you going to do?" asked the blonde with a bemused expression. "You can hardly stand, boy."

"You… you hurt Kairi," panted the teenager, aura blades glowing hot. "For that… I can _never_ forgive you!"

Shooting forwards with surprising speed, he appeared right in front of Exeamine before sliding down and kicking upwards, catching her in the jaw and sending her flying into the air. Leaping up beside her, he struck out with merciless blows, aura blades flying in a relentless assault that ended with a final upwards strike that sent her flying higher into the air. Landing hard on the ground, he crouched, then launched himself back in the air at her, arms crossed as he held the twin blades ready to strike

"Nightsever!" The world flashed black for a second as he struck, then he was past her, blades held out at his sides as he hung in the air momentarily. Then, explosions of darkness rang out behind him and they both fell to the ground. Landing first, he pulled back his arm then threw Divider at the falling form of Member XII. "Final Darkness!"

The blade became a line of shadow that shot through, piercing the blonde in mid-air before disappearing. Her face was a mask of stunned surprise. However, Daxtin's sense of victory faded as her body peeled away in a flurry of petals. It had been nothing. By the time it hit the ground, it was just a floating shower of pink blossoms.

"If that had really been me, that might have actually hurt," praised Exeamine from behind him. As he spun around, she added, "I guess I _will _take you seriously now."

As she approached him, his hopes sinking, the entire beast they stood on suddenly shook, knocking them to their feet.

"It's out of control!" cried Fuuen, teleporting right next to the Lovely Reaper. Momentarily, Maieri appeared also.

"It's absorbed too many Heartless, and sustained far too many injuries," noted Maieri clinically. "Its rage is more than we can control."

"Damn it," cursed Exeamine. "And just when I found someone interesting to play with. Guess we'll just have to kill it and add its heart to the great heart."

"O-okay," nodded Fuuen.

"Roger," agreed Maieri.

"Well, you got off lucky," said the blonde, turning to face Daxtin. "I'll be seeing you later, okay?"

Then, the three disappeared. Daxtin stared at the empty space with stunned numbness, too tired to say anything.

"Daxtin!" shouted Kentaro, running up with Okina coming up behind him in a strange hop-skip, limping on the run. Cid came flying down from above, looking a little beat up and fairly exhilarated.

"We have to get out of here," said the older boy simply. "Behemoth's out of control, and they're going to destroy it, and us too if we don't move. Cid, could you grab Anya? I've got Kairi."

Nodding, the man picked up the small girl as Daxtin lifted the unconscious and bleeding princess. With that, they took off at a run down the treacherous monster to the city below.

* * *

"Maieri, prepare a deep freeze," ordered Exeamine from where they hovered above Behemoth, lifted by Fuuen's winds. "We'll cover you." 

Nodding, the blue-haired woman began chanting softly, arcane symbols forming in the air around her as she did. While she did this, the other two turned their attention to the Heartless below, which was turning to face them as it sensed the gathering energy.

"Scatter, One Thousand Cherry Blossoms!" shouted Exeamine, raising her scythe. A spiral of petals shot out in a blazing storm, firing down and engulfing the enormous Heartless in a pink storm of slashing petals, immobilizing the beast in the deadly winds.

"Wind!" cried Fuuen, swinging her fan in a swift series of motions. As she did, a fierce gale kicked up before forming into a single concentrated blade of air that sliced down the center of Behemoth, leaving a long, deep cut. The resulting squalls tore across the monster's body while Exeamine showered blades of energy down on it.

"Okay, ready!" warned Maieri, spell ready and glowing between her hands as the other two Organization members cleared out of the way. "Absolute Zero!"

Jagged shards of ice the size of towers shot out from under the titanic Heartless as it froze completely solid, turning to ice. The air glittered and shivered with cold around the frozen statue. Then Exeamine shot down, her scythe cutting a swift straight line of pink energy down the frigid enemy.

"Buh-bye," she said, turning to look at the Heartless as it exploded into shards of ice and darkness. And then they were gone.

* * *

"That's unbelievable," gasped Cid, staring as Behemoth became nothing. 

"Such power," agreed Okina in an awed voice. Turning, she then regarded Daxtin, who stood beside Kairi and Anya, who had just finished being healed by some of the guards under Okina's command. "What are you planning to do?"

"What do you think?" asked Daxtin. "I need answers. I'm going to the World That Never Was."

With one move of his hand, he opened a corridor of darkness and stepped through, closing it as Kairi and Anya followed after him.


	9. Angel of the Abyss

Shorty: Here's a little interlude into another part of the universe, featuring two of the promised canonical characters. Not much to say, except I wonder if I'll ever get any new readers. Not that I don't appreciate my current ones. Ah, whatever.

* * *

Chapter 8: Angel of the Abyss

* * *

Some evils not die. 

True evil is far too mean and nasty and big and angry to die. It doesn't grow old, it merely grows meaner and nastier and bigger and angrier.

This is one such evil.

* * *

Where he walked, destruction followed. At his touch, people died. At his word, worlds burned. Five hundred years after completing himself, and he still was not finished with his mother's mission. There were still worlds to destroy. Still lights to snuff out. 

He descended on the newest world on his path to oblivion. A desolate place, with a scattered landscape of burnt out cities and craggy wastelands of decaying buildings. Miles of desert stretched between monuments of civilizations long since gone. Here and there solitary trees stood like sentinels by themselves, mostly black and leafless, but some were in full bloom, covered in lush green leaves that seemed so out of place in the empty landscape.

Silently, his booted feet touched the ground as he landed before the gleaming white citadel that was the only place in the entire world that wasn't deserted. Two large beautiful long black wings folded behind him, their feathers rustling gently in the vagrant breeze. Walking forwards, he drew his long katana, holding it lightly in one hand.

In the back of his mind, something nagged at him, warning him. He ignored. After, he was Death; he was the Destroyer of Worlds. What did he have to fear?

With a flick of his wrist, he easily cut through the tall gates, sending them crumbling into the dust with a series of slashes too fast for the eye to follow. Walking in, he barely even noticed the armored guards that came out to confront him. In a flash of steel he was past them, and the warriors disintegrated into shreds of paper.

"Interesting," he murmured to himself, holding a scrap of paper that had once been an armored knight. Discarding it, he walked on across the courtyard, not even flinching in the slightest when the doors into the palace slammed open and more of the sword-armed knight constructs poured out.

He smiled.

"Come, then. Face the power of a heartless angel."

* * *

The doors fell before him like dust, obliterated by the power of his attacks as he entered the final room. Inside, everything gleamed an immaculate white, just like the rest of the palace, with sparse furnishings and bookcases scattered throughout. The only occupant was a young girl with blonde hair sitting at a table, writing in a book. 

"The door was open," said Emeline, not even looking up as she continued to write. The man paused in the doorway. For some strange reason, her calm demeanor unnerved him. It was not a feeling he was used to. Finishing her sentence, the girl hid her pen in the book's spine before closing it and looking up. "I really liked that door, you know. I'm not sure I can get the pattern right again when I remake it."

"Don't worry," said the man with a thin smile, any sense of nervousness about such a foolish girl gone. "You won't have to. This world is at its end."

"Oh? And how do you figure?" asked Emeline, an amused look dancing across her face.

"Because… I am here," stated the man simply, his black wings flaring out behind him with his long black coat.

"You are. And you're late," she added, almost as an after thought.

"Late? Were you expecting me?" he asked curiously. That odd feeling was returning. What was this feeling this little girl inspired? Suppressing the sense, he said, "You cannot expect me. I am Death, and Death is swift and unexpected."

"Only when it is your own death," countered the girl. "And you are _not_ my death. No, you're here because I wanted you to be here. Yes, that's right. I manipulated you into coming here. And now you are mine."

"I'll destroy you," he snarled, blue-green eyes flashing, his narrow slit pupils growing thinner.

"Destroy me? I think not," she said with a little laugh. "Maybe elsewhere, but not here. Yes, anywhere else, and I wouldn't be able to kill you, you who are the Angel of the Abyss. But no, this is my world. I made it. And here, I am god. Here, _I_ am Death, Sephiroth."

Without warning, the fallen angel threw out his arm, shooting a series of black fireballs at the girl, his long silver hair flying in the resulting explosion.

"I know that you used to be the One Winged Angel," murmured Emeline from behind him, book held in one arm to her chest. "What _is_ your other wing? I think I'd like to find out." Before he could turn, her free hand shot out, grabbing the back of his coat. "But let's do that outside. I've already lost enough furniture, and it's so very hard to draw."

The two were engulfed in a whirlwind of paper, and when it cleared they were standing atop the roof of the Paper Citadel. Sephiroth leapt away from her, spinning midair to face his adversary, Masamune drawn and ready.

"Enough play, little girl," he said smoothly, shaking that strange feeling in his heart. "God or not, I _will_ destroy you." The sky darkened, then in a flash, he was behind her in a blinding flurry of cuts. Her body flew apart in the thirteen strikes, only to disintegrate into paper; it was a doll, nothing more.

"I told you, it's useless," she repeated from beside him. Flinging out her arm, long strands of paper shot out of her sleeve as he dodged back away from her, cutting the questing bonds to shreds as they approached. Teleporting, he appeared behind her, striking in time only to destroy another paper doll. Coiling strands of paper shot out of the ground, entangling his legs as Emeline walked up behind him. Flaring his wings out, fire shot out from below, engulfing him in pillars of flames, immediately destroying his paper bonds and flinging her back as she used her book to block the explosive fires. Turning, the sky darkened again as he prepared to attack her with lightning speed. However, the moment he did, her eyes went black, except for pinpricks of light in the center, surrounded by four slight lines of white in the darkness. Sephiroth reeled back in pain as an unseen force slashed open his shoulder, spraying blood in a crimson arc that splattered across the white marble of the roof. Quickly recovering, he shot a series of black fireballs at her, only to have them turned into scraps of paper mere inches before her face. Teleporting away as questing tendrils of paper shot out of the ground at him, he turned, barely managing to block as she appeared above him, shooting more ribbons of paper at him from her sleeves. Slashing at her in a powerful blow, his eyes narrowed in anger and frustration as she fell apart into more paper. Rising up into the air, he spotted her standing on the roof, looking up at him serenely.

"Witness the power… of a heartless angel," he intoned grandly, raising his arms, wings flaring out behind him dramatically. The sky darkened, clouds converging on him in a swirling vortex of lightning and storm. Snapping his arms out, there was a flash of light and an explosive force of magic around the young girl. She immediately flew apart into nothing. Slowly drifting down and landing on the roof again, he murmured, "So much for being a God."

He reacted only seconds before the giant spikes of paper came shooting up out of the ground, nearly impaling him. Jumping up, he hovered amid the forest of bone-white folded fangs, momentarily stunned at the sudden omni-directional attack. Then she appeared behind him, coming out of one of the paper spikes. Shooting out, he turned to face her just as she shot by, engulfing him in ribbons of paper, entirely binding him with it as she landed behind him on one of the spikes, arms out as she grasped the ends of the ribbons. Smiling, she jerked her arms across, pulling the razor-edged bonds tight. The paper fetters sliced shut on nothing as the Angel of the Abyss teleported out of the deadly embrace, appearing behind her, sword drawn.

Not even turning, her eyes flashed black again, and everything around her tore away in her unseen force, the paper forest disintegrating under the impact of her power. Sephiroth blocked with the Masamune, absorbing most of the force but still pushed back. Then suddenly, she was before him, leaning up in his face, mere inches away from him.

"Come on," she said simply. "Get serious."

Grinning, he leapt back then jumped into the air. An explosive force of fire and power surged out from him, shaking the entire citadel with its strength. Before Emeline could blink, he was behind her. She barely managed to block his strike with her book then gasped in pain as he impaled her through the gut on his sword. His eyes showed no surprise when her body became a paper doll stuck on his sword and he was behind her the moment she reappeared. In a series of blinding slashes he cut all upon her before she had a chance to react. As she hit the ground, bloody and scarred, he levitated up into the air, the incantation upon his lips. She had no time to defend herself as the rain of fiery meteors began falling. Sephiroth looked on with grim satisfaction as the burning rocks destroyed the strongest enemy he'd faced in a hundred years. When the rain ended and he touched down atop the scorched and burning roof, Emeline was bloody and battered, barely standing as she held her book before her to ward off attacks.

"You overestimate yourself, little girl," he said, walking up to her. "Now die."

In a flash, he was before her, sword already swinging behind her guard towards her throat. He smiled viciously as it pierced soft, sweet flesh, spraying blood. Then his eyes widened in surprise as the body slumped forwards onto him, revealing the same girl standing right behind it, completely unharmed.

"And you underestimate me," quipped Emeline with a cute little smile. The body on him turned into writhing ribbons of paper that wrapped around his arm before he could escape, forming up around her like a ball, the sides of which engulfed his trapped sword and arm. Burning his arm out with a quick fire spell combined with teleportation, he reappeared a few yards away from the now complete ball of paper. As he watched, the ball slowly thinned and disintegrated like gossamer thin strips of silk around her as she floated into the air effortlessly. When she opened her eyes, they were completely black except for the telltale pinpricks of light surrounded by shining lines.

He had no time to react as the ribbons shot out of the ground, grasping him in a giant paper fist as she floated up to him. No matter how he struggled, he could not escape as she approached him.

"And now, you are _mine_," she said with a smile. It was then that Sephiroth, Angel of the Abyss, identified that strange feeling that had been gnawing at his heart ever since he came to this world. It was fear.

* * *

Emeline sat in her room, lying on her bed as she concentrated on drawing a new door. Over on the wall, two new pictures were pinned up beside a row of similar pages that were written and drawn on. One was labeled _Sephiroth_. The other was labeled _Cloud_. 


	10. Home Again

Violence: Yeah, Sephy's tough. It took me a while to beat him. Of course, I was doing it on Proud Mode. Man, that was an intense fight. Anyway, mind you, Aliasfan, Emeline could only beat him because she was on her whole turf. It was literally Sephy against the entire world. Anyway, not much to this chapter, except some violence at the end. Anyway, look forwards to next chapter, when I give you guys a look inside the new Organization XIII.

* * *

Chapter 9: Home Again

* * *

It was all just like how he left it. Not a single thing had changed in the few days he had been away, despite all that had happened. People still went about their business, oblivious to things such as Heartless, Nobodies and Organization XIII. It was all so _normal_. Almost surreal in how normal it was.

"Where is this?" asked Kairi. "Is this the World that Never Was?"

"No," replied Daxtin quietly. "This is my home. Twilight Town."

"Why are we here?" questioned Anya.

"I don't know," he answered uncertainly. "I tried to go to the Organization's world, but instead, the portal just brought us here."

"Maybe the entrance is here somewhere?" suggested Kairi skeptically. "Anyway, while we look, you can show me around town, huh? I showed you my home, after all!"

Despite the situation, Daxtin couldn't help but smile. Count on Kairi to look on the bright side of things.

"Okay, then," he grinned. "Let's check the Sandlot first."

* * *

"Well, tomorrow we can check Sunset Terrace and the Underground," said Daxtin as they looked out across the town from atop the station clock tower, licking sea salt ice cream popsicles. The nearly perpetual sunset of day was giving way to the twilight dark of night as they watched the sun dip downwards. Somehow, even though they didn't talk, it was really nice just hanging out together. He'd never felt like this. Was this how it was to have real friends?

"You're dripping," pointed out Kairi with a little smile, bringing Daxtin out of his reverie. Looking, he noticed that his popsicle was indeed melting all over his hand and pants, and he had to work quickly in a most undignified manner to try and salvage the dripping snack while Anya and Kairi both laughed at his attempts. "Well, I guess it's getting late. Once you finish making a mess, where are we gonna stay?"

"Well, unless something weird is going on, I should still have my old room at the orphanage, and there are almost always guest rooms," answered Daxtin, tossing his popsicle stick out and barely missing the circular tile design in the plaza below in front of the train station.

"You live in an orphanage?" asked Kairi with surprise as Anya threw her stick out. It bounced next to Daxtin's and across the circle then landed just inside the opposite edge of the circle before coming to a rest. Daxtin nodded, shrugging it off. "Huh," said Kairi as she cupped her hands around her popsicle stick. Whispering quietly, her stick floated up, supported by a wind spell. Delicately moving her fingers, she directed the air-borne stick out and down towards the plaza below, landing it in the exact center of the circular design. "I win."

"That's cheating!" protested Anya. Daxtin only smiled as they started arguing over the little game he had started. Even if it was only temporary, it was nice to be at his home with friends. It was novel and new, having friends, and he hoped against all hopes that it could last.

* * *

That night, Daxtin slept once again in his old room, Kairi and Anya sharing a room down the hall. The night was pleasantly cool, so he had the window open, the curtains blowing in a gentle breeze. Even if they hadn't found anything, today had been a good day. Smiling, he closed his eyes and let the tight embrace of sleep engulf him.

* * *

"Wake up, Daxtin."

Opening his eyes, he found the room was still dark. Sitting up, he searched the room for the source of the voice as his eyes adjusted to the dark. There was a slight movement, and he spotted a young girl sitting on the chair next to his chest of drawers, a book held in her lap. She smiled and gave a little wave at him as he swung his legs over and onto the floor and sat facing her.

"In case you've forgotten, my name's Emeline," said the girl. "You know, Anya's sister." Then she giggled inanely, as if at some inside joke.

"Anya…Kairi!" he yelled, first tenuously, then more urgently.

"They can't hear you. This is a dream," explained Emeline, an amused look playing across her face. She watched quietly as Daxtin ran over to the door and yanked it open. She didn't do anything to stop him as he walked out into the hallway to find his friends and alert them to the intruder in his room.

Opening his eyes, he found the room was still dark. Sitting up, he stared in surprise at Emeline who was looking right at him, ignoring the open door. He was back in bed again.

"I told you, it's a dream," she said simply.

"Who are you?" he asked carefully, staring hard at her light, innocent eyes.

"I told you, I'm Emeline, Anya's sister," she replied. "Did you already forget?"

"No, I mean… who are you _really_?" he repeated. "Who are you in all this? What do you want with me? With Anya? With all of this? You mentioned the Organization; what do you know about them? What are you after?"

At this last question, the girl's eyes became downcast and she looked away, as if in thought. "I want what anybody wants. I want to be whole." Sighing, she then shook her head, and when her eyes met his again, they were bright and confident again. "Anyway, I don't need to answer to a tool like you. As for the Organization… well, they're just means to an end." Shrugging, she opened her book, pulling her pen out of the spine. "Well, since you seem so incompetent, I'll tell you one thing: the portal you seek is right where it all started, at least for you. Go back to the beginning and you can find the next stage of your journey. Your journey to help me," she added with a smile as she started writing.

"I told you, I'll never help you," insisted Daxtin in a low growl.

"And _I_ told _you_, that every step to help yourself helps me," replied Emeline, not even looking up as she wrote. "Now go to sleep."

The world went black then, and the sweet simplicity of dreamless sleep enveloped Daxtin.

* * *

"Hey, Daxtin, breakfast! Get up!" came the yell from downstairs.

Yawning and stretching as he sat up, Daxtin rubbed sleepily at his eyes. What a weird dream. Heartless and Nobodies and Kings and Princesses. Totally bizarre.

Getting dressed, he pulled on his baggy tan pants and favorite black shirt with white designs. Checking his hair in the mirror, he then pulled on his necklace and earring, socks and shoes, then grabbed his sleeveless white coat and headed downstairs.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," greeted Kairi with a smile, looking up from her oatmeal, complete with melon slices and strawberries. The half awake Anya merely grunted in acknowledgment of his existence, too busy concentrating on her oatmeal which looked like it had far too much brown sugar in it for Daxtin's tastes.

"Huh? What?" sputtered Daxtin in confusion. Then it hit him: it hadn't been a dream, it had all been real. Just the conversation with Emeline had been a dream. Right?

"What's wrong?" asked Kairi curiously.

"Uh, nothing," replied Daxtin before adding lamely, "G'morning."

"Here's yours," said the matron, handing a bowl of oatmeal to Daxtin as he walked by. "Extras are on the counter."

Giving a quick thanks before going over and piling on strawberries and a light powder of brown sugar, he sat down next to Anya, across from Kairi. All around, other orphans ate messily, though there weren't that many. Checking the clock across the room from the kitchen counter, he saw why; it was already nine o'clock, a late wake up for the little rug rats.

"So where are we checking out today?" asked Kairi happily as she munched her way through a slice of cantaloupe.

"Well, there's Sunset Terrace, and the Underground…" he started, trailing off as several things clicked. _Where it all started, at least for you_. "The mansion."

"What?" asked Kairi, thrown off by his sudden exclamation after his lapse into silence.

"The Old Mansion. That's where this all started," explained Daxtin, shoveling down his oatmeal hastily. "I know it, the doorway is there." Without explained why, he cleared his dishes and threw on his coat. "Come on, let's go!"

Blinking in confusion, Kairi quickly finished her breakfast before grabbing the oblivious Anya and running out the door after him.

* * *

The girls were puffing in exhaustion at the end of their sprint, but Daxtin was too caught up in the rush to notice. He looked up at the giant iron gates before the crumbling, ivy-encrusted mansion. Toppled white pillars lined the path down the garden up to the front door. A large metal padlock chained the gates shut, barring all access.

Looking up at the giant lock, he called Divider, the black aura blade to him, wielding it with both hands. Charging and leaping up, he smashed away at the metal contraption until a powerful glow had formed around the blue-green orb inset in the blade. Knocked back away from the lock, he hovered in midair momentarily as a beam of light shot out from Divider and into the keyhole of the lock. There was a splitting crack that resounded through the air, then the lock shattered, the chains crumbling with it. Landing lightly on his feet, Daxtin just watched quietly as the gates swung open of their own accord. Without saying a word, as if entranced, he walked forwards to the mansion, not even checking to see if the other two were following.

The inside was dusty, and ruined bits of furniture were strewn about here and there. Despite this, the place seemed in fairly good repair, considering that it had been abandoned as long as anyone living in Twilight Town could remember. Walking around, they found only one of the two ground level doors functional, the other being jammed shut with broken spars of chairs and the immobile hulking bodies of long dead dressers and tables. Opening the working door, they only found an empty dining room, the table inside smashed in the center, its two ends standing in sad triangles on their two legs. Dust motes danced in the golden light that filtered in from outside's twilit morning, but nothing else moved. After finding nothing except a family of mice inside one of the ornamental suits of armor, they went back out into the entryway and ascended one of the two curving staircases that led to the upper balcony. From there, they took a left and opened the door at the end of the walk.

The room beyond was in stark contrast to the rest of the mansion. There was a stale quality to the air, as if it hadn't been opened for hundreds of years. The walls were a gleaming white. Everything, including the mirror frame, the dresser, the table, the rose vase, even the roses in it, was all carved from the same white material. It didn't have the glossy shine or variance of marble; it was all just… white. Pure and simply white.

Pictures were pinned up here and there on the walls, drawn on pages yellowing with age. They looked to be drawn in crayon. Most of them didn't make any sense, though they were odd because one showed a brown-haired boy with a keyblade. Another showed four people, all wearing the black cloaks of the Organization. It was all very strange, but in the end, none of it seemed like anything more than doodles from a long past age. The door wasn't here. Silently, Daxtin exited the room and headed across the balcony, Kairi and Anya following behind him.

The other door led into a library, this one in the same wood-panel style as the rest of the mansion. There was a table in the center. On it was an intricate design drawn in yellow, depicting a large circle encompassing three circles, two of which were filled. The top left one had the heartless symbol. The bottom one had a three pointed crown that was like the one on Ansem's clothes, the symbol of the Kingdom. The upper right circle was empty. Nearby, a yellow crayon lay besides the unfinished drawing.

"What goes in the last part?" wondered Kairi aloud, voicing their unasked question. Daxtin however, knew. Grabbing the crayon, he quickly sketched in the symbol for the Nobodies. There was a flash of light, and the floor went transparent. Jumping back to a more solid looking part of the floor, the trio looked in surprise as the table and the floor below it all disappeared, revealing a sunken area with stairs leading down to a darkened doorway. This new area was nothing like the mansion above, all wood and elegance. The revealed part was metal and lights, like a laboratory or something.

"It's down there, I know it," said Daxtin before walking down the stairs, the girls behind him. The doorway led to another room, also done up in metal plating and cold lighting. In one corner was a set of computer monitors and keyboards, all dusted over from years of neglect. The same dust covered the floor, though now in the dim lighting, Daxtin noticed a path worn through the dust that led from where they had come from and over to another door. Following the path, they came into a large rectangular room with intricate designs on the floor. Regardless of the patterns, the path cut straight across into one corner. Walking over, there didn't seem to be anything there, but as Daxtin looked, his eyes caught a flicker of something else. Leaning close, he spotted a hairline crack in the air, as if reality was nothing more than a two dimensional picture and this was a flaw in it. Before anyone could tell him not to, he reached out with both hands and grasped it, as if pulling at a crack in a wall. Concentrating, he managed to slip his fingers into the widening gap. Pulling, he slowly wrenched it wider, letting all his energy flow into the effort. Then, with a sudden jerk, the whole thing sprung open, a swirling portal of darkness.

"The way in," noted Anya, Kairi too surprised and Daxtin too tired to say anything as she walked up to it. However, they jumped back in surprise as a black-cloaked figure walked out of the newly opened portal.

"Organization XIII!" exclaimed Daxtin, Joiner and Divider appearing his hands.

"Princess," said the hooded man in a deep voice, nodding towards Kairi and completely ignoring Daxtin. "Come with me."

"Why should I?" asked the girl cautiously, backing away from him.

"Don't you want to see your friends?" asked the man in a flat monotone.

"You're lying!" she shouted in response. "You don't know them."

Impassively, the man didn't even shrug. Instead, he swung his arm and in a flash of steel, his weapon appeared in his hand. It was a long, sharp sword, the handle bent like that of a gun, which it was. The chamber was visible where the blade joined the hilt, and the barrel went a little ways down the middle of the blade, ending before an intricate carving of a lion. Grasping the gunblade in both hands, the man only said "So be it."

Charging forwards, the man struck at Daxtin with an upward swing. The boy dodged, jumping back, then blocked the man's downwards strike. Daxtin's arms shook with each blow as the man continued with dispassionate power, each blow crushing and controlled. Knocking away Daxtin's blades, he didn't even flinch as he turned and easily blocked Anya's strike with the Shadow Lance. Knocking her off balance, he then cut a swift diagonal slash across her body, the blade exploding with fire as he shot her in the shoulder. Crying out in pain, Anya flew across the room until she hit the wall, where she slumped to the floor.

Calmly, the man turned and deflected the fireball Kairi sent at him, expertly knocking it back at her, throwing her off her feet. Daxtin, however, caught him off guard, striking right after his deflection, getting him in the back. Taking advantage of this, Daxtin set off in a flurry of blows, mercilessly beating down on the man's hastily raised blade. However, he got too caught up in it, and failed to see it coming as the man leaned back and kicked him square in the gut, knocking the wind out of him and sending him sliding against the cold metal floor.

"…whatever," murmured the man as he looked at the crumpled figures of the three fighters. Walking over to Kairi, he slung the princess over his shoulder. Taking one look back, he then walked over to the dark portal.

"Wait…stop," groaned Daxtin, stumbling to his feet. The man turned and looked at him as the boy picked up the aura blades. "Come back here."

Almost obediently, the man walked over. He stepped back then, easily dodging Daxtin's shaky lunge, then landed a solid punch straight into the boy's stomach with his free hand. As the boy fell forwards, he kneed him in the face, blood spattering on his black cloak as he almost broke Daxtin's nose. He watched silently as the boy fell to the floor, groaning in pain. As Daxtin stirred and tried to get up again, he quietly kicked the boy in the gut. Then he did it again. When Daxtin moved, he stomped on the boy's hand. Ignoring his cry of pain, he kicked the boy in the forehead, slamming his head against the cold metal wall. Finally satisfied that he was unconscious, he walked back across the room and stepped into the portal, heedless of the bleeding figures he left behind or the quiet sobbing of the princess he carried.


	11. The Thirteenth Order

And now for something completely different: Here we go, another chapter non-Daxtin centric. Some background type stuff. Enjoy. Or Else! Also, the guy in the last chapter could not possibly be Leon, as asked by Aliasfan, otherwise it would be a four to five hundred year old Leon. Geezer with a gunblade!

* * *

Chapter 10: The Thirteenth Order

* * *

The black cloaked figure walked into the castle, his quarry, slung over one shoulder, having long gone quiet and given up on resisting, instead only softly sobbing and leaving tears in the black cloth of his cloak. Ignoring this, he walked quietly down the hall. In the balcony above, another black cloaked figure watched momentarily before disappearing into the shadows.

The same man reappeared out of a dark portal in a room on the far side of the castle. Sweeping back his hood, he revealed a face of deathly pale complexion, his hair wispy strands of white that floated about his head in a medium length mane, wavering lightly as he moved. The only color on him was his icy blue eyes, thin, graceful slits, the two blue lines beneath them, and the little blue spherical gem set in his forehead. Sweeping forwards on light and agile feet, he approached the four that stood before him, bowing to the seated figure curtly.

"Yes, Lexyni? What is it?" asked the enthroned cloaked figure languidly, his deep voice flowing melodiously over the words in its own mysterious way. He was dark of skin, accenting his tawny amber eyes that shone like molten bronze. His silvery hair was long, locks of it hanging before each ear and much of it flowing down his back, the rest of it pulled up in a high pony tail to flow down his back again. Here and there a few strands hung over his high, proud forehead. He was shapely of face, graceful in it contours and features, and his body was of medium build, not overly muscled but not wiry or lean; trim was the word. A slight hint of a smile played on the edge of his perfectly formed lips.

"Superior, VII has returned, bearing the princess," reported the first man dutifully.

"I see. He knows what to do. You are dismissed," murmured the seated figure almost absently. Nodding, Lexyni, the Blinking Acrobat, disappeared in a swirl of darkness, leaving the four others to themselves.

"I despise that man, number VI," commented the figure beside him, sitting down on the stairs to the throne, idly playing on his sitar. His fingers idly plucked a series of notes before he turned the instrument and worked on tuning it.

"How can you? You, like I, have no heart, Xencarsse," replied the Superior. The musician merely grunted at this comment, running his hand down the neck of his weapon, his gloved fingers lightly caressing the crossed out name "Demyx" and more slowly tracing the letters of the name "Raescens".

"He's too shifty. Like a snake, he slides this way and that, never standing firm," continued the second member of the Organization calmly. "That's all I'm saying, Xatheron." Pausing in his cleaning, he ran a hand through his sea-green hair that was mostly short, except on the right where it curled down over his face, a mask that nearly covered all that side of his face. His soft blue-green eye that was visible flicked over to the other side of number I's throne, staring into the shadows. "What about you? Even if the Superior and I don't, _you_ still have a heart. In fact, you really aren't anything else, are you?"

A woman of medium build and light skin stepped out the shadows. She was a little shorter than the musician, and a good portion shorter than the Superior. She had short, almost buzz-cut blonde hair. Her black cloak had been modified so that the neck stood up even with the hood down, covering the lower half of her face. Also, the right sleeve was removed, revealing a set of black tattoos of arrows and lines on her upper arm, similar to the spiked cross tattoo that surrounded her right eye. Numerous small gold earrings studded their way up both ears. Her eyes, black and sharp, stared harshly at Xencarsse, who merely stared back with calmness with a touch of interest. She said nothing in answer to his question.

"Don't be that way, Kyara," he said lightly. The woman continued to stare, remaining silent, as number III was wont to do. "Fine, then. How about you, Darian?" he asked, looking over his shoulder to the man that loomed behind him.

"As long as he serves our purpose, I could care less," growled the grizzled number IV. He stood nearly six and a half feet tall, making him an imposing figure, an image enhanced by the multitude of scars visible on his face and neck, one even crossing one eye and intersecting another that crossed his nose. His mouth was a short, grim line set in a field of black stubble that ranged all across his jaw, joining with his short black hair. His tall face had its eyes concealed behind dark round shades which hid any emotions he had other than anger or annoyance. He had a set of guns strapped to his back, each outfitted with scopes and the arced rounds of spikes from barrel to handle that characterized laser-arrow arms. Each one was successively longer, ranging from heavy handgun to rifle to sniper rifle. He was quiet and taciturn and, if not passionately, then solidly loyal to the Organization. Originally joining as a mercenary, he had proved himself in combat multiple times, earning the epitaph "the Longshot" for his miraculous seeming strikes from unbelievable distances.

Kyara, the Hidden Assassin, nodded her agreement with her fellow's assessment. Despite her status as a heart devoured by darkness, she was the very model of control, every move calculated. She talked rarely, and when she did speak, each word was carefully selected to convey the most meaning possible. She was not one to waste breath, or actions. Her loyalty to the Organization was unquestionable, given all her past skills, but emotionally, she showed no evidence to this.

Xencarsse, on the other hand, was fiercely loyal to it, or more specifically to Xatheron. Having grown up with him, he viewed the Superior as not just a leader, but as an older brother, a guide, and a mentor. Distrusting of others and his motives, he was calm and smooth, though surprisingly light-hearted in his own way, taking things in stride.

"So, how long before that boy shows up here?" he wondered aloud, strumming softly at his sitar, the strings twanging satisfyingly at his touch.

"He was with the princess, so probably not long," grumbled Darian,

"Then let us prepare a welcoming party. Alert XIII, so he might be ready for it," commanded Xatheron with a thin smile. Then he whispered, to no one in particular, "Come then. Come and see my Kingdom Hearts."

* * *

"What are you going to do with me?" pleaded Kairi as the man locked the door to the prison cell she had been thrown into.

"….you're bait," said her captor in his dispassionate voice, hollow and deep. "Through you, we control Kir."

"Kir?" she asked. "What do you want with him?"

"He is… the key. To everything," answered number VII. Turning, he left without a word, ignoring the princess's cries or questions.

* * *

"Hey, ladies," grinned the blonde boy, his piercing blue eyes smiling mischievously. "You're looking lovely this non-existent day. Especially you, Fuuen," he added with a smirk. The younger girl blushed at this, her face going red underneath the curtain of silky black hair that covered most of it.

"Hey, only _I_ tease her," asserted Exeamine from where she sat. "I ought to kill you, you know that? Brat." The boy only laughed at this.

"Settle down children," murmured Maieri from the other side of the room where she sat, drawing intricate patterns of ice on a blank slate. She had long ago noticed that her faux body, constructed of darkness and her heart's desire, was much more responsive and graceful than her real body had ever been, and had since spent much of her time drawing many such frozen artworks that adorned the halls of the Castle of Naught until they eventually melted, despite their magically chilled surfaces. When that happened, she would take them down and patiently start again. Thus it was a never ending process that occupied much of the tall woman's time, though it never seemed futile or useless, as Exeamine saw it. It interested herself, and delighted Fuuen besides, so that was reason enough for the artworks.

Grinning, the boy waved and exited the room, leaving the three girls to themselves.

"He's such a brat," fumed Exeamine. "If he weren't a member, I'd kill him."

"H-he's not so bad," asserted Fuuen tentatively.

"Whatever. When Kingdom Hearts comes and we dump these saps in the gutter, I'm offing him first," muttered the blonde girl darkly. Her face lit up in a malicious grin as she contemplated the newest member's death in her imagination.

* * *

"Yare yare, are you two at it again?" murmured the tousle-haired spiky blonde as he came in. He was on the short side of medium height and of a lean build, but well muscled. His face was artfully curved, and his eyes were near slits along with his grinning mouth, giving him a fox-like appearance. He walked with a light and graceful air, a little bounce in his jaunt as he walked over to the other two men. He looked to be in his early twenties, if even that old, but his childish delight and exuberant energy made him seem much younger. "Whose move?"

"His," rumbled the larger man in a deep, booming voice. He had sedate, observant brown eyes set in a large, blocky face, thick boned with a cleft chin. His tawny brown hair was pulled back in straight locks down the back of his head, where they flowed out, ending at the base of his neck. He was clean-shaven and had a very heavy aura to him, giving him the deep and quiet feel of a philosopher, or a statue. His body was huge and muscled, standing easily over six and a half feet tall, and it was almost comical to see him hunched over the little crystal chessboard they had set up on the coffee table between the two couches. He didn't even look over as the younger man who had just came in flopped down on the couch next to him, though he did shove him back when the sly faced blonde leaned over and put his head nearly into the pieces as he inspected the game's situation.

"I think Roxtarit's got your number," said the observer with a grin.

"Quiet, Kensuke," replied the larger man with a slight hint of irritation.

"I'm just sayin', my money, if I had any, would be on him, Max," replied number V defensively.

"Maxinaeus," number IX corrected absently, his eyes intent on his opponent. The other man, Roxtarit, considered the board a moment more before seemingly arbitrarily picking a piece at random and waving it above the board indecisively before dropping it on a chosen square. "Interesting."

"I mean, he's totally attacking everything you got," continued Kensuke happily.

"Yes, and every piece is defended," countered the large man as he considered his options.

"Ah, yes, the Stoic Defender," mused the fox-like trickster. "You know, the best defense is a good offense. Blitzkrieg, yo!"

"You're the Lightning Lord, of course you think faster is better," grumbled Maxinaeus. "You have no patience." This said, he moved his bishop out, staying in safe distance of his other pieces but probing gently at the edges of Roxtarit's formation, forcing him to react or run.

The other man silently considered the move, his thoughts a mystery as his face was hidden by an oval white mask, painted over with tongues of stylized flame, the only holes two thin curving slits for his eyes. His red hair flared out behind him in long spikes that stood in the air and trailed down his back a little. He sat with the couch pulled close to the table, almost crouching on it, his thin, spidery arms leaning on his folded knees as he bent his wiry frame over the board, considering his next move momentarily before moving his knight away from the current danger.

"Now watch," said IX with a satisfied tone of voice, sliding his rook out and taking a lone pawn. With all the pieces in place, he watched smugly as his opponent predictably retaliated with his own rook, which next fell to one of Maxinaeus's knights, which in turn forced Roxtarit to retreat his queen out of the line of fire and off of the major battlefield to the other side of the board. Pressing his advantage, Maxinaeus then pressed forwards with his bishop, forking his opponent's remained rook and an unprotected pawn, which he took as the other man moved his rook out of the way. Giving no reaction as Roxtarit leapt out with his knight to take an inconsequential pawn, he continued with his preset plan, trading pieces and winning the occasional extra pawn, retreating as necessary, then attacking another part of the board. He smiled pleasantly as Roxtarit's pieces retreated from one attack and into another, and only continued to watch calmly his opponent failed to prevent easy attacks or foolishly took the offensive only to see for Maxinaeus to take the attacking pieces under full protection. Quickly, the black pieces disappeared from the board as the whites suffered only minor casualties. Despite this, Roxtarit gave no indication of nervousness or worry. In fact, as they went, his decisions came faster, he moved pieces more confidently, quickly with almost foolish haste into ridiculously defenseless positions and hopeless attacks.

Smiling, Maxinaeus shot his bishop forwards to take the lone remaining black rook, protected by both a knight and his queen. This would result in another series of traded pieces, the upshot being only the loss of the knight and bishop on his part and the loss of the rook, a knight, and a pawn on his opponents.

"Game over," said Kensuke with a wide smile.

"Exactly," said Maxinaeus, but Kensuke only chuckled and grinned wider at this.

Roxtarit picked up his knight to avenge his rook, moving it over to take the offending bishop. Then suddenly he changed directions and leapt the knight over a pawn in right into the middle of Maxinaeus's defenses. Staring incredulously, the larger man realized that not only was the piece immediately unassailable, but it was also attacking his King and Queen at the same time. A royal fork. Grimacing, Maxinaeus moved his king towards the knight, out of the corner and watched with irritation as the silent red head took his queen. He took only small pleasure in taking the offending knight with a rook.

Then, reaching back to his side of the board, where it sat almost untouched throughout all the game, Roxtarit picked up his queen and slid it down a miraculously clear path to come to rest right next to the white king. No other white piece was attacking the square the black queen now rested on, and the attacking piece was guarded by a neglected bishop that had been sitting in one corner, surrounded by pawns.

"Checkmate," stated Roxtarit simply. Getting up, he turned and left the room without a word while Maxinaeus stared at the board, trying to puzzle out how he could let this happen.

"How?" muttered the large man in a deep rumble. Tracing the game back, he found that what he had thought to be stupid moves on his opponent's part were actually calculated manipulations that pulled his pieces out of position, all over the sacrifices leading up to this final move.

"Hey, you're questioning the nobody who killed two people just because he wanted the number VIII?" laughed Kensuke. "I mean, come on. He's the Burning Enigma."

* * *

Maieri hung up her newest picture in the hallway outside Kensuke's room. Standing back, she viewed it with a subdued pride. The intricate design depicted a stylized girl in flowing robes with burning eyes, a scythe held in one hand, the other hand descending with flames and petals upon some poor terrorized victim that looked suspiciously like a certain young boy who had recently joined the Organization. Despite her usual opinion that the ice drawings were an exercise in futility, Exeamine found this one to her liking for some reason.

Imagine that.

Setting off to find the next melted tablet, she paused as she heard talking in Kensuke's room. Pausing outside his door, she listened as two voices talked, one Kensuke's, and the other vaguely familiar but unrecognizable.

"-oh, and you should have seen his face! That was perfect!" Kensuke speaking.

"I'm the best," said the unidentified speaker depreciatingly.

"Hey, I thought we agreed _I'm_ the best," said Kensuke in aggressively.

"Yeah, the best at totally _sucking_," shot back the unknown voice. The two conversationalists burst out laughing at this, and shaking her head, Maieri continued on down the hall, not knowing what to make of it and not really caring.

* * *

"Hey," said Xencarsse casually, strumming lightly on his sitar as the boy passed. When the younger man stopped and looked over at him, he continued. "He's coming."

"I know. I can feel it," replied the dirty-blonde, his piercing blue eyes staring off down the hall at some object far away and unseen. "I'll be ready."

"Make sure you are," said the River Walker smoothly before disappearing into a dark portal.

"I will be," grinned Diant viciously.


	12. Stolen Friends

Heyas: Well, sort of short chapter. Not much besides a fight scene; it's a transitory chapter, between worlds. Also, I'd like to remind everyone this takes place about four to five hundred years after KH2, so everytime you see a familair weapon or whatever, don't assume it's the same person. Sephy is the exception, as he absorbed Cloud to complete himself and became the Angel of the Abyss, making him a nigh-immortal god. Also, I have a sub-theme going of important unique weapons. People may come and go, but some powers are eternal. The Keyblade is one example, as is Ocean Nocturne, Xencarsse's (formerly Demyx's) Sitar, or Lionheart, the famous gunblade.

* * *

Chapter 11: Stolen Friends

* * *

Daxtin awoke to a pounding in his head and the salty metallic tang of blood in his mouth. He opened his eyes to the dimly lit room of the mansion's secret basement. Wiping a hand across his face, he felt dried blood crumble off onto the floor in little black flakes. How long had he been lying there?

Sitting up, he winced as he put too much pressure on his left hand which ached something fierce. Scrabbling inside his coat, he pulled out one of the potions he had bought while they were in Twilight Town, popping off the cap and chugging it down. It tasted strange and tingly, and instantly he could feel the aches lessening in his body.

Across the room came a muffled groan. Getting up, he hurried over as he saw the crumpled form of Anya lying against one wall. As he leaned over and sat her up, asking if she was okay and checking her wounds, he wondered where Kairi was.

Then he remembered.

That man, the man from Organization XIII, had taken her. He had failed to protect her; against one man, he had fallen so easily. Was he really so weak? Shaking his head, he concentrated on the present situation.

The slash across Anya's chest had mostly stopped bleeding into her shirt, but the bullet hole in her shoulder was still oozing sluggishly.

"Here, I've got some potions," he said, rooting around in his coat again, stopping as the young girl raised a hand and grabbed his arm.

"Don't bother. I've got this," she said wearily. Closing her eyes, he felt her fingers tighten on his wrist as she concentrated. Slowly, before his eyes, tendrils of darkness slithered out of her wounds, like so many hidden snakes. Across the bloody slash they seeped into her white shirt, absorbing the blood while other strands of black knit her wound together again, closing over in a clean sheet of white skin, unmarred in any way. As they did, other wisps of shadow worked inside her shoulder wound until, little by little, they pushed out the bullet, which fell to the floor with a faint metallic ringing. Then the bleeding stopped, and soon that wound too closed over. Finally, strands of darkness knit together over her clothes, repairing the holes, the ones on her shirt fading to white as they finished. When she stood, there was no indication that she had ever been wounded, though she looked tired and worn out from the effort. "So now what?"

"We go after her," answered Daxtin with more confidence than he felt. Getting to his feet, he walked over to the portal of darkness that still pulsed and glowed in the corner. "Whatever comes, whatever happens… I will have answers. And this time, I _will_ protect Kairi."

This said he stepped forwards and into the unknown.

* * *

Inside the portal was the familiar flare and shine of millions of colors as symbols indecipherable flew this way and that in the nothing. They walked for what seemed an eternity until finally, in the distance, appeared the portal that would take them to the World That Never Was. As they came closer, they could see a figure standing in the way. However, rather than the expected black cloak menace, this figure was shorter and wore a short sleeved jacket over his shirt and mismatched pants. His lanky brown hair hung down low, threatening to try and cover one side of his face, and his bright blue eyes shone with an intense determination as he stared forwards at them. In his hand he held the Kingdom Key, its silver length and gold guard shining and flickering wildly in the light of nothing.

"I know who you are now," said Kir darkly as Daxtin and Anya approached. "You're his other side. The other side of his heart."

"What are you talking about?" asked Daxtin cautiously, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands as he readied for trouble. Anya readied similarly, though she did not yet call upon the Shadow Lance.

"You're the missing part. You're the reason I can't find him," breathed the Keyblade Master through clenched teeth. "It's _your_ fault Diant's gone! Give him back!"

"I don't know what you mean," Daxtin tried to explain, confused and distressed by how worked up the boy was. "I-I… I don't even know who Diant _is_! How can I give him back?"

"So you refuse. You cling to his life so you can have a shadow of it for yourself," muttered the young boy sadly. "You're not even supposed to exist! You're nothing!"

"What are you saying?" yelled Daxtin, his head pounding, his ears filled with noise, the boy's words repeating over and over in his head drowning out all thought. "Just leave me alone!"

"Fine… if you won't give him back… I'll destroy you, and take him back from you," said Kir coldly, his eyes set and determined, wiping away the tears that had formed in his rage.

"You'll have to go through me," interrupted Anya, stepping between the two boys, the Shadow Lance appearing in her hand. "I… I won't let you kill him. I won't let you take my friend."

"Friend? Since when do Heartless have friends?" shouted Kir spitefully. "But then I see why you like him. You don't get the urge to devour his heart every five seconds, like you do with everyone else, huh? Because he hasn't got one!"

"That's it, I'm sick of this crap!" yelled Daxtin, charging the key bearer before his hysterics went on any longer. He swung out with Divider, Joiner following a second later, but Kir easily blocked both hits before counter attacking. Daxtin jumped away, only to be replaced by Anya who lunged in with the spar of darkness she held. Kir parried the strike and moved in close, smashing her in the gut with the butt of his keyblade then knocking her away with a swift horizontal slash.

"Fire!" yelled Kir as he shot a blast of flames at Anya before she even hit the ground, catching her in the stomach with the burning projectile. He grunted in pain as Daxtin slid in behind him and attacked with the aura blades, then ducked and turned with a quick strike, taking the older boy out at the knees while avoiding another blow. As Daxtin hovered momentarily before hitting the ground, Kir shot around him in a circle, going faster and fast until he was a blur, the air kicking up into a frenzied squall, lifting the blonde haired fighter into the air in its center. Then Kir was there above him, keyblade raised over his head with both hands. "Whirlwind Slash!"  
Daxtin grunted in pain as the blade smashed into his unprotected side, sending him crashing down hard into the solid nothing of Betwixt and Between. Groaning, he rolled away and scrambled to his feet as Kir landed next to him, keyblade striking the ground in a downward hit that would have crushed him if he had lain still. Then Anya was on the boy, attacking in a flurry of wide swings and jabs, her lance slicing through the air with a sharp whistling sound. The young brunette was hard pressed to stay out of the range of her weapon until he saw a chance and jumped up, landing on the spear momentarily as it struck out, then leapt back, pushing away from her. Well out of her range, he began shooting volleys of fireballs at her, though he was cut short as Daxtin swooped in from the side. The boy turned barely in time to block his double-bladed attack, quickly jumping away from the next strike then shooting back in, cutting right through the older boy's defenses. As soon as Anya came in to attack, Kir grinned, then blurred and disappeared. Suddenly, he shot out from one side, striking out at both as he blurred past then disappeared again immediately reappearing on another side and striking at their turned backs. In a frenzy of motion he shot by and through them in a series of charges, each time disappearing and reappearing faster and faster until they could see nothing but a blur of pain as he shot by, finally appearing above them.

"Give me strength!" he shouted, reversing the grip on the Kingdom Key as he shot down, slamming the blade into the ground, unleashing a massive shockwave that sent both of his opponents flying. Charging after Daxtin, the boy in the white sleeveless coat barely had time to get to his feet before the raging keyblade user was upon him. Daxtin could only block the flurry of attacks hopelessly, giving up ground as the relentless assault continued. Then Kir finished with an especially strong blow, knocking Daxtin off his feet and sending him sprawling. He tried to get up, to wield his blades, but the shock of the blow had turned his arms and legs to jelly. Finality in his voice, Kir said, "Now let's finish this."

Daxtin could only watch with wide eyes as the boy raised the blade behind him, glowing incandescent in his hand as he readied the final blow. Jumping back to get ready to charge, Kir lowered the keyblade to his side to hold it two handed for a strong lunging thrust. Shooting forwards, there was a flash of light as he struck out at Daxtin and ended it.

Or tried to.

When Daxtin's eyes opened he was Kir completely stopped in mid-lunge, unable to even move an inch forwards. The boy stared in wide surprise at the arm and shoulder that reached up, the pale white hand clutching the haft of his shining keyblade. Pulling out of an inky black pool of shadow that should have been impossible in the presence of the shining key, Anya stood up, still grasping the keyblade in her hand. Her hair and clothes floated upwards in drafts and rises of power, dark ribbons of night smoking up from her other arm which was completely black as it clutched the Shadow Lance. Though he could not see her face, Daxtin knew that her eyes were now black with shining white centers.

"Light!" shouted Kir, the stunned look disappearing from his face. The keyblade flashed incandescent, giving off a blinding white light that blew away Anya's very essence, the darkness flying off like leaves before a storm. When the flash ended, Anya stood swaying, smoke coming from her hand that held the keyblade, her other hand burned and empty. Kir looked at her coldly, then giving the Kingdom Key a little shake, watched as she collapsed on the ground. "With that spawn of darkness out of the way, now I'll–"

Daxtin never found out what he was going to do. At that moment a giant blast of water shot out of the nonexistent ground, slamming into the younger boy's side, sending him flying.

"You!" shouted Daxtin in surprise as a black cloaked figure swaggered up, hands dancing across the triple strings of a blue and white sitar. Sweeping back his hood to reveal his sea-green hair and blue-green eye, Xencarsse gave him a smooth grin as he walked over, approaching the drenched key bearer.

"Hurry up, we're expecting you," he said with a smile as he walked past the fallen Daxtin.

"Get out of my way! I have to destroy him!" yelled Kir at II as he approached. The musician only laughed.

"You've got bigger things to worry about," murmured Xencarsse smoothly, his hands dancing across his instrument. "Like me, for instance."

As he said this, swirling spouts of water came up out of the ground, twisting until they formed water clones of their master.

"Dance, water," crooned the River Walker softly, fingers picking out an intricate flowing melody. As he said so, the doppelgangers all shot forwards at the keyblade master who defended skillfully. However, as the boy became engulfed in destroying the water forms, Xencarsse suddenly changed tunes, showering huge pressured bubbles of water on Kir and dropping the water clones, which disintegrated into puddles of water, taking him by surprise. As the deadly shower ended, the musician struck a hard power cord, sending a wall of water firing up from beneath, slamming Kir up into the color-wild air. "Feel the groove," he murmured with a smile.

As Kir dropped back down, Xencarsse shot forwards, slamming him in the gut with the point of his sitar, sending the boy flying back into a portal of darkness that opened at a snap of the Nobody's fingers. Turning, the musician addressed the stunned Daxtin before stepping in to follow the key bearer.

"So hurry up," he sneered. "He's waiting, you know."

"Who's waiting?" shouted Daxtin, but it was too late; the black cloaked man was already gone, the dark portal closing behind him. And with that, it was just him and Anya, who lay on the ground, moaning in pain and occasionally stirring.

Despite her protests, Daxtin administered the rest of his potions to Anya to heal the wounds she had sustained during that last fight. Even with that, she still ached all over, as did Daxtin. Struggling on, they crossed the length of Betwixt and Between to the portal where they had first spotted Kir. Taking a deep breath, Daxtin stepped forwards and into the portal, walking into the World That Never Was.


	13. My Other Side

Heys: Almost out of school, just one more day plus finals. Man, I'm stuck late. Anyway, todays Recommended Fics are Those Who Lack Spines by (can't remember right now) and Searching for Sanctuary by Aloria. The first is a satire of Kill Sue (if you haven't read it, look it up here on and read it) proportions, except in continuing format. It's hilarious. The second is an interesting fic taking place some years after KH2, including more movies and FF characters and an interesting person who has their own identity issues, kinda like Daxtin. What's a name, anyway?  
Well, hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 12: My Other Side

* * *

Each step they took sounded like the fall of a hammer on an anvil in the silence of the World That Never Was. They walked slowly and cautiously down the high and narrow twisted streets between the dark buildings and neon signs. The signs were everywhere, proclaiming in a multitude of languages restaurants where no one ate, stores where no one shopped, and warehouses where nothing was stored. The city in the shadow of the gleaming white castle, this Undercity, was an empty place of shadows and nothing more. Here, in the depths of nothing, darkness bred and grew. 

Soon Daxtin and Anya came to an open plaza just as a light rain began to fall, coming fast and constant, but not hard and without wind. Across the way from them was a giant skyscraper that reached up into the night sky, as if trying to grab the dark clouds of the sky and pull them away.

"Daxtin," cautioned Anya quietly, bringing his attention earthwards again. All around them, shadows pooled and gathered around dark puddles of rain water as it flowed into the many nearby drains. Soon, the darkness flowed upwards, forming into shapes with yellow eyes that glowed with hunger. Lean and limber neo-shadows appeared all around them, their long limbs swaying with them as they eyed the two interlopers with cold, all-consuming hunger in their glowing eyes, their zigzag antenna twitching this way and that behind them. Watching cautiously, Daxtin summoned Joiner and Divider to his hands as Anya brandished the Shadow Lance menacingly.

There was a movement in the back of the crowd, and a neo-shadow jumped into the air before cart wheeling, cutting through the air like a whirling discus as it flew at them. Daxtin deflected the blow, knocking the Heartless off balance before sending it flying back into the horde of neo-shadows with a well aimed slash, and then the battle was on.

Neo-shadows rushed in at them, claws extended as they slashed wildly at the two warriors. Daxtin lashed out with his aura blades while Anya struck down Heartless after Heartless with swift and deadly strokes of her lance. They leapt and dodged, constantly moving to avoid being taken by the Heartless that went flat and scurried along the ground in circular motions like the shadows they were born from.

Daxtin grunted in pain as a neo-shadow slashed long bloody wounds across his arm, then turned and caught the offending monster in a series of powerful slashes, disintegrating it into a fine dark mist that would coat him by now if not for the constant rain that still fell, pounding relentlessly on human and Heartless alike. With each foe, the orbs inset in his blades grew brighter and brighter, until they blazed with an unearthly fury, the light cutting straight through Heartless like water. Leaping back from a triple attack from the neo-shadows, he braced himself, and then shot forwards, eyes ablaze with blue-green fire.

"Dividing Circle!" he shouted as he rocketed out towards the edge of the dark plaza, cutting through Heartless with ease. Turning a sharp corner at the edge, he shot around the entire mass of Heartless in a perfect circle, ramming straight through and immediately destroying any neo-shadow that got in his way, trailing shockwaves of light. As he did, he divided himself, leaving still after images behind him until he came all the way around, completing the circle. Turning, he and his seven clones faced center, arms crossed and blades outstretched before shooting across, cutting eight lines of light in the already shining circle. Upon reaching the other side of the circle, blades swung out to their sides, all eight of them leapt back into the center, joining back into Daxtin as he slammed into the ground with both aura blades, causing the lines of light he had carved to flare high into the clouded night, decimating the surrounding Heartless. "Final Impact!"

When the light finally faded, the few Heartless that remained were dazed and sluggish. However, any sense of victory was short lived as more neo-shadows appeared, surrounding them.

"There's too many!" cried Anya, backing away as one of the creatures pounced at her.

"Just hang on!" replied Daxtin, slaying one neo-shadow only to watch another take its place. The last attack had taken a lot out of him, and as he leapt back, he tripped over a slippery drain cover, and fell back, rain water splashing around him as the Heartless closed in all around him. He didn't have time to get up before they attacked, jumping on him and crushing him down with their weight, questing fingers clawing at his face, their wriggling mass holding down his arms and legs.

And then she was there. The shadows flew back through the air, disintegrating in the black winds as Anya's Shadow Lance became a whirlwind of Darkness, scattering enemies everywhere. Slowly, a soft silence fell across the plaza below Memory's Skyscraper, the only noise the falling rain and the ebb and flow of the dark girl's power. All around her, gravity reversed polarity to orbit her as her wet and streaming hair floated in the updrafts of her aura along with her coat and tie, droplets of water hovering in midair, caught on their earthbound drop in the maelstrom of her energy. The Shadow Lance, held tightly in her right, pointing outwards and against her arm, seethed with darkness, the black energy trailing off in the same dark ribbons that streamed from Anya's arm as the shadows engulfed her. Her hand was already completely black, as was the cuff of her collared shirt, and the darkness already flowed and crept across her face under eyes black and soulless, centered with little shining pinpricks of light. The Heartless stared at her, almost reverent in their stillness. Then suddenly, as one, they shivered before shooting forwards, as if pulled in by some giant magnet, flying through the rainy air at the young girl who stood in the center. Surging forwards, their forms became blurred, disintegrating into their base darkness as they flew towards Anya. When they reached her, they shot in, absorbed right in by her power, her darkness. The air became a vortex of darkness with Anya standing in the eye of the storm.

And then it was over. There was no noise but the falling rain drops. Daxtin stared in awe at Anya who stood before him, no longer radiating energy, but still giving off a barely contained aura of power that bend the light around her in odd ways, flexing the very air around her. Turning around, she opened her eyes to look down at her fallen comrade. Her eyes were the soft, large liquid dark orbs he remembered first seeing, kind and a little shy, but happy now.

"You okay?" she asked with a smile, the rain plastering her hair to her face, dripping down her beaming face. Before Daxtin could respond however, she suddenly cried out and dropped to her knees, clutching her head tightly. She screamed wordlessly and rolled on the ground in agony, holding so tightly onto her head that it seemed she was afraid it would explode if she didn't. The boy ran over to her, but as he approached, all she screamed was, "Get away from me!"

Suddenly, darkness and shadows shot out from her, the questing tendrils lunging at Daxtin as he jumped nimbly back out of their way. He could only watch in horror as the massing darkness engulfed Anya, swallowing her up whole into its very core. The tendrils of shadow curled up away from the adolescent boy, twisting into the air, weaving in on itself into a giant bubble of darkness, pulsing with a darkened heartbeat that shook the very cement on which he stood. Slowly, lines formed across the surface of the dark mass and black, demonic wings pulled away from it and into the air, followed by darkened tendrils of shadow that waved and grew under the rainy sky. Slowly, ever so slowly, the creature unfolded itself, raising its enormous torso and the muscled arms of its black body up, standing on proportionally too small legs. The tendrils of darkness that haloed its head also curled around its face, concealing everything but its piercing yellow eyes, those eyes that glowed hungrily out of the darkness at him as its puny, symbolic wings flared out behind it. Most prominent, however, was the hole in its chest, a giant heart-shaped void that cut straight through the creature. It was the ultimate Heartless.

"Anya…" gasped Daxtin breathlessly, staring in shock and awe at what his friend had become. Slowly, with ponderous moves of its titanic body, the creature turned to face him, staring with those soulless eyes, so full of hunger.

* * *

Kairi sat sullenly in her purple-lit cell, staring out across the small room at the bars that held her in. Outside, she could see the shining white interior and walkways of the Castle of Naught, but there was still no way for her to get out there. So she sat, alone, wondering what they were making Kir do with her ransom, and if she'd ever get out. 

Suddenly, she perked up as she heard footsteps. Running over to the bars, she peered out to see who was coming. Sighing, she saw it was only Kyara, the Organization's assassin, a disciplined woman who only spoke in one word sentences, if at all. Some of the other members actually stopped and talked with her; Maxinaeus actually brought a chess set out when he came by, though he always beat her, but Kyara was one of the seven members she had seen that truly treated her as a prisoner, making nothing more of her guard duty that what it was: just a stop to check that the prisoner was still there. Kairi decided to shout at her anyway, just to vent her frustration.

"Hey! You!" she yelled. Kyara didn't even take notice until she was square with the floating prison, turning to stare coldly at the trapped girl. "Let me out of here!"

"Foolishness," stated the tattooed women emotionlessly before turning and walking on, soon disappearing from sight as the curved walkway brought her behind the central pillar, hiding her from view.

Sighing again, Kairi slumped to the floor. Then she looked back suddenly as she heard a strange noise. Getting up, she saw it was a dark portal of roiling shadow at the back of her cell, the kind the Organization used to get around. Watching cautiously, she backed away as a black cloaked figure leaned out of the portal, its hooded head darting this way and that, as if checking for anyone watching. Apparently satisfied, the cloaked man looked towards her and motioned a hand at her.

"Oi, omae! This way!" he whispered urgently. He waved more impatiently as she just stood there, not coming closer. "Come on, come on, quickly now!"

Kairi just shook her head, eyes watching him suspiciously. Sighing, the cloaked figure pulled back his hood, revealing his face.

"You're –" started Kairi

"Shh!" hissed the man. "Now come on, your friend's about to be in big trouble, and you three have got to get out of here!"

Nodding, Kairi quickly followed the man, the dark portal closing behind her in an empty prison cell.

* * *

Daxtin could only watch in stunned horror as the giant approached him, its black hair wavering and flowing in the air as the rain dripped down its black body. Reaching back a fist, its arm slammed forwards to crush him. And then suddenly, stopped. 

The entire dark creature shook, as if it couldn't control its own body. Slowly, however, inch by inch, the outstretched arm struggled towards him, its fingers opening to grasp its prey. And all of the sudden, the Heartless stopped shaking and shot forwards, its hand reaching with questing fingers to crush him in its grip.

Daxtin jumped in surprise as a dark figure shot out in front of him. There was a flare of light as fire lit the darkened plaza with its flickering light, and the Heartless's hand shot back from the explosion of flame and heat. The rain sizzled and hissed as they landed on the smoking gloved hands of the red-haired stranger that stood before him. Turning, the man revealed a white-masked face, stylized flames painted all across it.

"Are you with Organization XIII?" blurted Daxtin, confused at being saved by someone in a black cloak. The man paused momentarily before answering.

"Sort of," was all he said before turning and blasting back the enormous Heartless with a swift blast of fire. "You should help her. She's struggling in there."

"What do you mean?" asked Daxtin. This was all going to fast for him. Then he added, "What is that thing, anyway?"

"That," said the man, watching the monster as it ponderously considered its singed hand, "is her Darkside."

"So that's _Anya_? Not just some monster?" gaped Daxtin in a stunned voice.

"Yup," replied the red haired figure amiably. "Bad news being that you can't just kill her. Good news being, she's not beyond saving."

"How do I do that?" demanded Daxtin, turning on him suddenly. "Tell me!"

"Those blades are Joiner and Divider, right? Use it to divide the dark from the light, then," explained the black cloaked man plainly. "Now you gonna go do that, or do I gotta eliminate her?"

Not waiting for more advice, Daxtin called upon the same power he used when opening a dark portal or using a special attack. Joiner disappeared in a flash of light as he took the black blade Divider in both hands. Orb glowing, he aimed the aura blade at the gigantic Heartless, firing a beam of light out at its empty heart-shaped core.

"Anya, I hope this reaches you," murmured Daxtin quietly as he put all his power into saving her from her darkness. "Hold on, Anya!"

* * *

Suddenly, the pain seemed far away. Standing up, Anya looked around at her surroundings. Everything was dark, nothing was visible except herself. 

"Where am I?" she asked timidly, looking around for any hint of her location.

"Anya," said a voice, eerily familiar.

"What?" exclaimed the young girl, turning around. Approaching out of the darkness was a figure, slowly growing more distinct as it approached.

"That's where you are," explained the person simply. As she came closer, her form resolved into that of a young girl with boyish features with medium black hair, dressed formally in a black suit with slacks and a white collared shirt, a black tie hanging from her neck, squared off at the end.

"Who are you?" asked Anya in a confused voice.

"Isn't it obvious?" the girl responded with in a the exact same voice. "I'm you."

"Me?" gasped the stunned Anya.

"Your darkness, to be exact. Your strength," replied the grinning Anya. "I'm the only reason you can fight. Without me, you're nothing."

"That's not true!"

"Of course it is," replied her darkness. "You always used me to win your fights. But not anymore. Tell me, do you know what the difference between a King and Horse? And don't give me any crap like 'one has two legs and the other has four.' I mean, both have strength, power, and drive. But do you know what really makes the difference?"

Anya shook her head, confused as to where this was going.

"I'll tell you what makes the difference," replied Anya's darkness with a vicious grin. "The only difference is the King's on top. He's the one who hold reins. But if at any time he drops, the horse can throw him off and trample him under his hooves." The girl paused, letting it sink in. Then she continued, "I'm the horse. And I'm throwing you off."

Anya backed away as her darkness approached, the Shadow Lance appearing in her hand. Anya tried to summon the weapon for herself, but nothing happened.

"You can't control me anymore, you pathetic wimp!" sneered the other girl, waving the spar of darkness at her. Giving a yell, she lunged forwards at Anya, the Shadow Lance piercing her shoulder.

Anya cried out in pain as her dark mirror grinned sadistically and twisted the weapon in her wound. Reaching up, she grabbed at the weapon to remove it, only to cry out in renewed agony as it singed her hand with its darkness. As she watched in horror, familiar shadows crept out across from the wound and over her chest, engulfing her.

Then suddenly a new voice shot out across the darkness.

"Hold on, Anya!"

Then there was a sudden light, and the dark Anya shot back, thrown away by the intruding division. Hissing, she looked on from behind the shining barrier at Anya as she began to disappear.

"Fine then, run," growled her darkness as the shadow realm faded out of view. "But if you ever want your power back, then you know where to find me."

* * *

There was a sudden explosion of light and sound, the shockwaves sweeping the plaza, firing the rain back up into the air. Then it was over, and in the middle was Anya, fallen on the ground, one hand holding her up, the other clutching at her bleeding shoulder. As the rain continued its fall, Daxtin ran up to her. 

"Are you alright?" he asked in concern, helping her up. "Your shoulder… can you heal it? I'm out of potions."

"I… I don't think so," grimaced Anya, gripping her shoulder tightly and wincing. "My power… it's gone."

"That's because that boy divided you," came the voice. Turning, they saw the masked Organization member that had saved Daxtin before. "Saved you from your own darkness at the cost of complete separation."

"Why did you help us?" asked Daxtin suspiciously. The red head just gave a loose shrug before jumping into the air and doing a flaring roundhouse midair into a dark portal, disappearing from sight.

Before they could say anything else, a new figure ran onto the scene.

"Daxtin! Anya!" yelled Kairi as she ran up to them, holding one long sleeved arm over her head to block the rain.

"Kairi! We came to save you; how'd you get out?" asked Daxtin, helping Anya to her feet.

"This… man saved me," replied Kairi evasively as she remembered her caution to secrecy by her savior. She lied, "I didn't see his face." Pausing, she then added, "But he told me something important. Organization XIII, they're going to invade Radiant Garden. We have to get back there and stop them!"

"And I'm here to make sure you don't."

Turning to face the newcomer, they stared at the black-cloaked figure that had just swaggered in. Flipping back his hood, he revealed dirty blonde spikes of hair that shot up and back, the lower ones tied back in a spiky ponytail. His piercing blue eyes were disturbingly familiar to Daxtin as the teenage boy stared at him. Kairi gasped quietly.

"Diant."


	14. Your True Nature

The moment you've all been waiting for: The not-climax chapter! Yaaaaay. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 13: Your True Nature

* * *

"Hello, Kairi," said the boy in the black cloak standing before them in a conversational tone. "What are you doing here?" 

"I… I could ask the same of you, Diant," replied Kairi unsurely. "Why are you here? Why are you with Organization XIII?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here for Kingdom Hearts," replied Diant simply.

"Why? Why are you working with these bad people?" cried Kairi, bewildered at this betrayal.

"Working with? I guess you could call it that," chuckled the boy. "Heck, if I'm lucky, they'll all die by the time we achieve Kingdom Hearts. If not, I'll just finish off the ones I don't like," he added with a shrug. "But in the end, I _will_ have Kingdom Hearts."

"But why? Why do you want Kingdom Hearts?" yelled Kairi, continuing on.

"Because with it, anything is possible. Because with it, I can find Kir, I can save the worlds, I can right wrongs," he replied simply. Then, his piercing blue eyes went soft, revealing a hidden sadness. "Because with it, I can go home."

"If you're here now, then you could have come home before," pleaded Kairi.

"No, I couldn't have," disagreed the cloaked boy. "Not like this. Kingdom Hearts… will make me whole. Kingdom Hearts will cleanse me of my sins, my darkness. Only then can I go home. Only then, will _he_ be gone."

At this, he pointed a gloved hand Daxtin.

"What? Why are you pointing at me?" questioned the blonde-haired boy cautiously, backing up a little.

"You shouldn't exist," hissed Diant.

"Screw this load of crap! Why do you people keep saying this?" roared Daxtin, his temper finally snapping. Joiner and Divider flashed in his hands, burning with a powerful blue-green light.

"Because it's true."

"What?" Daxtin asked in a stunned voice, turning to face the speaker. It hadn't been Diant who had said this. It had been Anya. "What are you saying?"

"It's just… ever since Kir last talked to us… well, what he said about… your heart…" mumbled Anya tentatively. "It's just… he's right. As a Heartless, I can sense people's hearts. But I can't feel yours."

"What? Why would that be?" asked Daxtin in a bewildered voice.

"Because you're a Nobody," answered Diant coldly. "More specifically, you're _my_ Nobody." He shook his head at his other side's look of skepticism. "It's true. D-I-A-N-T, D-A-T-I-N. Plus an X for betrayal. Betrayal of the whole. You shouldn't exist. You don't exist. You don't feel, have emotions, or a heart. You're just my shadow, nothing else. So give up already and_ let me be whole_."

At this, Diant lunged forwards, Joiner and Divider flashing in his hands. The same two blades blocked his attack as Daxtin parried before launching a counterattack.

"Diant! Daxtin! Both of you, stop this!" pleaded Kairi desperately.

"Give it up already! You're _nobody_!" raged Diant, blades clashing as he struck wildly at Daxtin.

"No! It's not true! I _do_ have a heart!" shouted the other boy, tears swelling in his eyes as he backed away under the vicious rain of blows. "I swear I'm real!"

"Shut it, fake!" growled his opponent as he hit with a triple strike of his swords, followed by jumping up and kicking off of Daxtin's guard, knocking the boy in white off balance. In a blur of motion, he shot around and appeared behind the falling warrior, knocking him into the air with a savage uppercut. As the stricken boy flew up into the air, the boy in black joined his two aura blades at the hilt, one blade going each way. Throwing his arm back, the blades went into a spinning blur, hovering just inches away from his palm before he swung and released the whirling disc up at the falling teenager. "Whirlwind Raid!"

Daxtin cried out in the rainy sky as the flying blades struck him, flying up into the sky past him. As the blades spun around and came whirling back, Diant jumped up to meet them. The blades flew apart as they struck Daxtin again and Diant grabbed them, arms crossing, then uncrossing as he hit his Nobody in an explosive cross slash.

"Storm's Divide!" yelled Diant as he shot past. The shockwaves from the attack rocked the plaza and blew away the rain. The two boys hit the ground hard, sounded by a fury of falling drops as Diant landed on his feet, and Daxtin on his back. Before the Nobody could get to his feet, the Organization member had his blade to his throat.

"Now die, and give back what is mine," intoned Diant formally as he stared down the blade's length at his Other.

There was an explosion of fire and lightning that sent him flying back. As he leapt back to his feet, Kairi dashed into the space between the two boys.

"I… I don't know if your joining the Organization or wanting Kingdom Hearts to save yourself is wrong," breathed Kairi, tears in her eyes as she pointed her hands at him, spells already forming, "But I can't let you hurt Daxtin."

"Kairi…" whispered Diant in a stunned voice. Then more loudly, "What do you care about him? He's nobody! He's just a shadow of me!"

"Maybe he is," admitted the girl, "but he's also my friend."

"And I'm not?" asked Diant coldly.

"I… I don't know," she murmured. "Right now, I'm not really sure if I know you."

"Fine then," said Diant, dismissing Joiner and Divider. "Get out of here. Take your 'friend' with you. Call this my last favor to you," he explained frigidly. "You, who used to be my friend, but no longer."

"Diant… come with us," pleaded Kairi, salty tears mingling with the rain on her face.

"Get out, before I change my mind," said Diant, turning around and pulling up his hood as he walked away from them, the rain pattering with each step of his boots. He snapped his gloved fingers then, and the dark puddles behind him surged and swirled, standing up into the dark forms of Heartless neo-shadows. "Now!"

The three of them ran then, ran for their lives, pursued out of the World That Never Was by the hordes of darkness. As they left, a single tear fell from under a black hood, hitting the rain swept street and then forever lost.

* * *

"Diant…" murmured Kairi, looking back over her shoulder as they ran through the Betwixt and Between. 

"Forget about it, we have to get back to Radiant Garden and warn them of the invasion plan!" yelled Anya, trying to snap her out of it. Sighing as she got no response, she looked over at Daxtin, who ran along side her with a blank look on his face. So far, he had said nothing since they ran. "Daxtin? Are you alright?

The boy gave no indication of having heard her question and just continued running on silently. Shaking her head, Anya gave up on getting either teenager's attention. However, what came next did catch it.

A dark portal tore open before them, exploding into swirling life as a black cloaked figure came shooting out, catching Anya in the stomach with a flying jump kick. Still in midair, the intruder spun and caught the stunned Daxtin in the side of the head with a swift roundhouse kick. Launching off of the falling boy, the attacker shot across at Kairi, grabbing Anya as they shot past, swinging around her then throwing the younger girl into the escaped princess. Both of them went tumbling as the black cloaked figure landed in their midst, cloak fluttering in the kicked up wind.

"Kairi," hissed the black figure as she pulled back her hood, even though Kairi recognized her already from the missing sleeve that revealed the arm bearing the tattoo matching the one around her eye.

"Kyara, get out of our way! We're leaving, okay?" shouted Kairi as she stumbled to her feet.

"Fool. Diant let you go. I did not," replied the assassin.

"Who the heck is this?" shouted Daxtin, jumping up to his feet, Joiner and Divider flashing into his hands.

"Kyara. Number III. The Hidden Assassin," replied the blonde woman succinctly. Reaching into her cloak, she pulled out a pair of kunai, foot long dagger spikes that she held in reverse grip, blades against her arms when not in use.

"I think this is the most I've ever heard you speak," said Kairi in mock awe, hands glowing as she readied her spells.

Kyara's eyes narrowing was her only response before she leapt forwards at the girl, arms and kunai outstretched. As Kairi shot off a fireball at her, she blurred and disappeared, reappearing behind the spell caster. She caught the young girl in a quick set of slashes before then hitting her with a powerful kick, sending her flying.

"Hey, ink-eyed! Quit pickin' on the girl!" yelled Daxtin as he came charging up. Lunging forwards, he hit only air as the assassin blurred again and reappeared behind him, slashing at him in controlled arcs of her kunai before teleporting again in front of him, sliding in low and shooting right under, knocking his legs out. Before he could even fall, she hit him hard with a swift upwards kick, sending him flying up into the air. As he reached the top of his uncontrolled flight, she blurred into focus above him, leg up stretched with amazing flexibility before dropping a powerful axe-kick on him, sending him slamming down into the cold, uncaring surface of nothing. Eyes cold and calculating, Kyara threw down her kunai at him, pinning his shoulders to the ground before she went flying down at him, adding a final flip as she came down, kneeing him hard in the chest and then grabbing her kunai and jumping away. Daxtin gasped in pain as the breath was crushed out of him and he was left coughing on the ground.

"Last," was all she said as she turned her sights on Anya. Walking over slowly, she swung the kunai about in her hands a few times as the young girl backed away.

"Hey, go play somewhere else," came the teasing, confident voice.

"Who?" breathed Kyara as she spun about to face the new opponent. Sitting on nothing was a young girl in pleated skirt and long sleeve blouse, a book sitting in her lap.

"I said, go play somewhere else," repeated Emeline, jumping off her non-existent perch and landing on the imaginary ground. "These are my chess pieces. If you keep harassing my pawns, I'll have to send my knights after you."

"Sister…" gasped Anya, staring in shock from Kyara to Emeline, then back again.

"…die," hissed Kyara before lunging at Emeline, kunai at the ready.

Emeline threw up her book before her, words tumbling off her lips as she invoked the many ribbons of paper that wove themselves into a giant shield before her. She was only momentarily surprised when the assassin appeared behind her, kunai raised, and then the blade came down, slicing the paper doll in two as Emeline appeared behind Kyara. Pointing her arms forwards, strands of paper shot out, wrapping around the Hidden Assassin and then squeezing tight on nothing but a strand of darkness as the Heartless blurred into focus a few yards back.

"I'll remember your scent," growled III quietly as a black portal opened behind her. Jumping back, the darkness closed up around her as she made her escape.

"I hope you do," grinned Emeline, snapping her fingers. A strong wind kicked up in the colorful void as she turned to face her sister. "As for you three… try not to get yourselves killed again, okay? Even if I'm not done with you, I've got better things to do than play babysitter, got it?"

And with that, she was engulfed in the whirlwind of pages. When the storm settled, the trio was alone.

* * *

"Okay, almost there," said Anya, slowing her pace a little so the injured Daxtin and Kairi could catch up. Before them, the portal leading back to Twilight Town glowed bright. Once the other two caught up, she stepped through. 

"Hey, wait up," said Daxtin, stopping Kairi before she could follow the other girl. She turned to face him, her eyes curious.

"What is it?" she asked, a concerned look on her face.

"It's just… what you said back there," started Daxtin, eyes downcast. "Did you really mean it?"

"Mean what?" she asked, baffled.

"That I'm your friend," he said quietly.

"Of course I did, why are you asking?" said Kairi in disbelief. "You _are_ my friend."

"Even though I'm a Nobody? Even though I'm nobody?" he asked, still not believing her.

"Daxtin, stop this," she replied, her voice starting to be tinged with worry. "You're my friend and I'm your friend, okay?"

"But how can I have friends?" protested the boy. "I don't even have a heart! I don't exist; I'm just a shadow of Diant. Heck, you probably only like me because I remind you of him. I'm just the part of him you have, the next best thing until you can be with you real friends. I'm just a husk, just–"

Kairi stopped him then, placing a gentle finger on his lips as she gently shushed him.

"Daxtin… you're my friend because I like you. I like _you,_" she repeated softly as he quieted down. "You're not my friend because you're Diant, or just part of Diant, but because of who you are as a person. You are your own person, not Diant, or anyone else, okay? And you're my friend. Got it?"

Daxtin just looked at her sadly, but when she smiled, really smiled with one of her bright as sunshine candid smiles, he couldn't help but smile back.

"Got it," he said. Even if it was a lie, it felt nice to believe, and be believed in. Sighing, he added, "Thanks, Kairi."

"No problem," she replied, grinning. "Now let's go.

Together they walked, hand in hand, out of Betwixt and Between and into Twilight.


	15. Acceptance

Naruto Taisen: Man, those games are the inspiration for a lot of the fights I write. Cool stuff, y'know? Now, time for a short peek of what Anya looks like in butt-kick mode.

* * *

Chapter 14: Acceptance

* * *

Anya turned and watched with some amusement as Daxtin and Kairi walked out through the portal, then upon seeing her, popped their hands apart and jumped away from each other, both flushing slightly at being caught. 

"So what were you two up to, huh? Almost came back for you, you took so long," murmured the young girl dryly. The other two coughed nervously and avoided eye contact with each other. "Sure, whatever. Anyway, let's get going!"

Nodding, the two older teenagers followed the suited girl out of the basement, past the computer, and back up the steps into the library of the Old Mansion. From there, it was a quick jog around the balcony, down the stairs, and out the front door. Then it became a little less easy as they left the mansion premise and encountered the hordes of Nobodies outside.

"Where did these all come from?" shouted Kairi as she blasted another dusk with a ball of fire.

"How should I know?" yelled Daxtin as he pushed off a tree trunk and cut his way through a swathe of Nobodies, clearing the path to the crevasse in the town wall that led to the Tram Commons. As they broke their way into the town proper, they found that it was only worse. Here there were not only dusks, but a new form of Nobody, hulking and huge, carrying, or rather, being carried by, a huge hammer that dragged the body along with a will of its own. There were only a few of these berserkers, but they soon proved to be a much stronger opponent than their dusk counterparts.

The berserkers had strong combos and despite their size and jerky movements, were surprisingly fast. When they went, well, berserk, they were nigh unstoppable. Luckily, if those attacks could be avoided, there was a period of time after when they became defenseless, provided you could get around the hammer that automatically deflected all attacks from the front. While this irked Daxtin to no end, Kairi's magic had no problem with them. So while the boy ran bait for the large Nobodies, Kairi would take them out from afar. Meanwhile, Anya ran crowd control on the dusks, courtesy of a bent metal pipe she had picked up.

The streets were full of Nobodies, and they couldn't find anyone else, so they were on their own, but eventually, panting and tired, they made their way up to the Train Station. It was there that they found the source of the Nobodies: a huge man in a black cloak, large of frame and nearly seven feet tall. Turning, the man pulled back his hood, revealing a blocky sculpted face with cleft chin and long, neatly combed brown hair going down the back of his head.

"Hello, princess. Leaving so soon?" he asked.

"Yes, and don't try to stop us, Maxinaeus," replied Kairi.

"Do you know _all_ of them?" asked Daxtin incredulously. "So who's this one?"

"I am number IX, the Stoic Defender. As the gatekeeper, I can not let you leave," answered Maxinaeus seriously in a deep, rumbling voice. "We'll be going back now."

"Not if I can help it!" yelled Daxtin, brandishing Joiner and Divider menacingly as Kairi readied her spells and Anya wielded her pipe.

"So be it," rumbled IX sadly. As he spoke, the ground shook and rolled beneath their feet. Even though the trio fell to their knees, unable to keep their balance, Maxinaeus remained steady, unmoving as a rock. A jagged spar of rock shot out of the ground, sending paving stones flying in the air as it came flying up, stabbing into the air before crumbling away to reveal a giant pole axe, the heavy two foot metal blade imprinted with the shape of the Organization's logo. As the final stones crumbled away from the haft, the Stoic Defender reached out one hand and grasped it, silencing the quakes. "Let's go!"

Charging forwards, he bowled recklessly into them, axe swinging as he used his weight and force to charge through their spells and defenses. Spinning, he used the six foot handle of his axe to knock them all off their feet, then stomped his foot on the ground, sending shockwaves rippling across the paved floor and smashing into them just as they landed on their backs. Sensing the weakest link, he then charged Anya with his giant axe, slicing her metal pipe in half before summoning a huge column of stone that came shooting out of the ground at an angle, slamming into her and knocking her senseless into a wall.

Quickly turning, a barrier of earth shot up before him, intercepting Kairi's thunder spell as it flew at him from her hands. As the ground heaved under their feet, the barrier crumbled into large chunks of dirt which, at his command, propelled themselves through the air at the young sorceress. The clods broke apart under a well placed fireball, and then Maxinaeus had other things to think about as Daxtin lunged at him.

The boy lead off with a flurry of quick strikes as the large man dodged back with surprising agility. Jumping up, Daxtin nimbly avoided the shockwave sent through the ground as IX slammed the butt of his pole axe into the ground. Landing in front of him, he caught Maxinaeus in the gut with a quick strike then followed it up with another blow of the aura blades before having to dodge back from a wide swing of the axe. Still in midair, he gasped in pain as a column of stone shot out from under the cobble stones of the plaza and slammed him in the gut, sending him skidding across the ground. As this happened, the large man used another barrier of earth to block more of Kairi's spells as she assaulted him, covering for Daxtin as he got up. Stomping his foot, Maxinaeus widened the barrier until it was a large cube of hard packed dirt. Then, wedging one foot under the giant block of earth, he kicked it into the air. Holding his weapon in one hand, he pulled back his other arm, then slammed a heavy open palm on the block, sending it flying at Kairi where it landed with a loud crash and exploded in a cloud of dust and rocks. Satisfied, he then turned his attention to Daxtin. Charging the young boy, he dodged back from the boy's preemptive counterattack and kicked up a large column of earth at him, which was promptly dodged. Striking fast, Daxtin dodged under the man's relatively slow swing as he struck out with the aura blades, only to go flying back as he took a quick elbow to the shoulder.

Scrambling to his feet, Daxtin almost fell again as the ground shook under him from Maxinaeus's shockwaves. Before he could regain his balance, the Stoic Defender slammed his axe down in a heavy blow on the ground, sending a shockwave of power flying towards the boy through the ground, giant shards of stone shooting out of the opened crevasse. Daxtin coughed up blood as the wave of stone smashed into him, then cried out in agony as a stone column shot straight up from underneath him, hitting him high in the air. As he fell and the column crumbled, another shot right out from underneath it, knocking him higher, then another. On the verge of blacking out, Daxtin could only gasp for breath as he fell towards the hard, stony ground. He bounced once, then the ground folded up and slammed in on him, the two sides coming together like a closed book.

"Stone Tomb!" chanted Maxineaus, one hand outstretched at the two blocks. Their edges shone with light before fusing together, forever sealing their victim inside. Finished, he then turned his attention to searching out Kairi. "Now, where's that girl…"

"Divider!"

Maxinaeus spun around in surprise as the blocks of earth came unsealed, splitting apart and then crumbling into piles of dirt around Daxtin, black blade held high. Then, arms outstretched as the two blades spun around just outside his palms, Daxtin slowly gathered energy as the orbs set in the blades glowed with blue-green fire until the blurring weapons at his hands were rings of flame. Then, grabbing one handle, he sent one blue-green fire ball shooting off into the twilit sky as he grabbed the other blade and sent the fire ball on that one flying straight at Maxinaeus.

"Morning Star!" he shouted as the large man raised another giant stone wall between the two of them. The flaming projectile slammed into the barrier, but instead of dispersing, pressed up against the shield and began eating through it. In a matter of moments it broke through, shattering the earthen obstacle as it hurtled on towards the Stoic Defender, exploding in an engulfing fire of blue and green. When it cleared, the large Nobody had his arms held before him, blocking most of the blow, nothing more than a little heated from the attack.

"Strong, but not strong enough," rumbled the man, letting his arms fall to his sides as he approached the boy over the broken terrain.

"Evening Star!" yelled Daxtin, letting his other blade fall in a sweeping chop. As he did, a light appeared in the sky before resolving into the other blue-green fireball he had launched, coming straight down to impact in a fiery explosion on IX, shooting flames and dust and scattered masonry. However, when the dust cleared, it revealed a dome of hard packed dirt and stone, which crumbled away to reveal the unscathed Maxinaeus. "No way."

"That's better," shouted Maxinaeus, his deep voice ringing out like a drill sergeant's. Lunging forwards, he swung at the boy with the curved part of his axe in a double-handed strike, rebounding it off the flagstones as the boy dodged and striking him in the side with the pointed edges on the other side of the haft. Daxtin quickly kicked off of the haft, gaining distance and knocking the man off balance as he did so. Swinging with both blades at the man's exposed head, his eyes widened in surprise as the man let go of his axe with one arm and caught one blade in his gloved hand and blocked the other with his forearm. Charging forwards, he slammed his elbow into Daxtin's chest, sending the boy flying. However, before he could follow up this attack with any others, he winced in pain as a fireball slammed into him from Kairi, who had just managed to crawl out of the debris of his giant earth block attack.

"Thunder! Fire! Blizzard!" Keeping up her assault, Kairi hit him with spell after spell before he could recover and summon a protective barrier. Finally though, as she took a breath and paused between spells, the man recovered sufficiently enough to pull up a large slab of stone and block her next attack. Then the barrier crumbled and shot outwards as a wave of stone spars exploded outwards from behind it at the young spell caster. The oncoming attack exploded into shards of rock and dirt as they hit Kairi's spells, and though she came out unharmed, she was breathing hard and obviously exhausted. As he charged forwards, she ducked under his initial swing and hit him in the side with a weak kick, hurting herself more than him on his rock hard muscles. It was but one quick motion for Maxinaeus to drop an elbow on her head and knock her out.

"Kairi!" cried out Daxtin as he watched her fall. This shout was all the warning IX needed in order to block the incoming attack and knock the boy out of the air with the tail end of his pole axe. Walking slowly over to where the boy lay on the ground, struggling to get up, he looked almost pityingly down on him.

"Come on. Where was that power you had before, boy?" he rumbled in a voice as deep as the mountains and as heavy as the bones of the earth itself. When he got no response as the boy tried, and failed, to get up, he shrugged and then raised his mighty axe above his head in one hand, preparing to bring it down in one final swing on his defeated opponent.

"Stop!" yelled Anya, running. Maxinaeus only gave her a cursory look as she ran up and stood between the two warriors. "Don't kill him!"

"Get out of the way," rumbled the Stoic Defender quietly.

"No, I won't let you hurt him!"

"Out of the way," he repeated, louder this time.

"No!" she shouted, tears in her eyes.

"Get out of my way, or I'll kill you both!" roared Maxinaeus, the ground shaking at his call. His eyes calmed and then hardened as she didn't move, just stared resolutely up at him. "So be it."

Reaching up, he wrapped his other hand around the haft of his axe then leaned back slightly as he waved the axe back to gain momentum before it began its accelerating decent.

_Come on, come on, come on!_ yelled Anya at herself in her mind, eyes tightly shut. _I need you _now.

Then the axe blade fell, as unstoppable as the executioner.

* * *

She held her breath in anticipation of the pain, and then let it out explosively when it didn't come. Opening her eyes, she found herself in complete darkness, utter black. 

"So, you came back," said a familiar voice. Spinning around, Anya saw it was her, the other her, her darkness. The girl who was her-but-not-her smiled. "I knew you would. So, ready to let me take over?"

"No," said Anya softly, shaking her head gently. "I… I need you. I need your help."

"Hah, isn't that great? You're a Heartless, yet you still want to help that boy," laughed the dark Anya wickedly. "It's almost pathetic. Well how about this? I'll save that boy if you let me be king. I'll even let you be my horse instead of erasing you entirely, though I'm not sure what good you'll be to me." She sneered then said, "You're so weak. Why should I help you at all?"

"Because… you're me," replied Anya uncertainly. "You're… my power."

"Tch, got that right," said her darkness disdainfully. "As I said before, without me, you're nothing. I'm glad you understand that."

"No… I mean… you're _my_ power. _My_ darkness," she explained quietly. "You come from my heart. So… that means… you're _mine_. I control you."

"Is that so?" hissed the other Anya, the grin sliding from her face. "And what makes you mighty, huh? Why should you be on top? Why shouldn't I just kill you now and take your body and do whatever I damn well please? Tell me that!"

"Because… I have a heart," she answered firmly. "Even though… it may falter at times… or doubt, or waver, or feel hatred and rage… even though it may sometimes give up… as long as I have hope… the heart is strong."

"And the darkness will devour your heart, strong or not!" shouted Anya's darkness, the Shadow Lance appearing in her hand as she charged at Anya. Swinging it around scathingly fast, she brought it down, intending to cut the defenseless girl in twain.

There was a crash and an explosion of darkness, the power of the blow sending their hair and clothes flapping in the wind as the air surged outwards from their clashing auras. The long spar of purest darkness had stopped, inches above Anya's face, held back by the exact same Shadow Lance, gripped tightly in one hand by her over her determined eyes.

"What?" hissed the other Anya before being thrown back and skidding back on her feet away from the girl. She snarled and raged, "How can you?"

"Because… this is _my_ darkness," stated Anya firmly. That said, she charged on forwards, her blade clashing with her other's weapon, the tow of them matching blow for blow, though surely, slowly but surely, Anya was driving her darkness back. Then, in one swift movement, she knocked her opponent's guard out of the way and reached out with her free hand, grabbing the other Anya by the collar and pulling her close. As she did, wisps of darkness smoked off of where they touched, and soon ribbons of blackest dark came off the not-Anya and went towards the real Anya where they were sucked into her arms, dissolving and becoming part of her. As she faded, the other Anya looked up at her, first in surprise, then in recognition.

"So… I guess you really can be king," she said with a faint smile. "But remember this: if you weaken for one moment, that will be all I need to buck you off and trample you under and then crush your skull beneath my hooves. Got it? I swear I'll be king one day. So until then," she grinned as she disappeared, "don't die."

And then she was gone, and it was just Anya and her darkness.

* * *

Maxinaeus stumbled and grunted in surprise as his axe flew back, repelled in the sudden flash of light. When his eyes came back into focus, he was staring at Anya, but this was no longer the same girl. Her eyes were no longer pleading and pitiful, but determined and strong. And in her hand was gripped a long spar of utter and complete black, as if she held darkness itself in a straight, deadly bar. 

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she repeated, "I said, I won't let you hurt him." Her grip on the Shadow Lance tightened, and her knuckles turned white with effort before going black under the engulfing shadows. Her eyes went black with pinpricks of light in the centers, surrounded by radiating rays of white as her aura expanded and flared, her hair and tie and jacket flying up in the updrafts and currents. Maxinaeus watched in horrified fascination as the darkness continued up from her hand and up her arm, then across her face and body until she was nothing more than a black shadow with glowing eyes that stared piercingly out of the darkness at him. Ribbons and wisps of shadow came off her, as if she were afire with a dark and empty flame, and the flagstones crunched and shattered beneath her feet as she walked towards him. Lifting off the ground slightly, she suddenly surged forwards, appearing right before Maxinaeus, Shadow Lance swinging. The man ducked under the swing and then called up a huge earthen barrier to knock the attacking Heartless back. He cursed under his breath as she cut clean through the stone wall as if it were nothing more than wet clay. Shooting the large chunks of rock at her, he backed away as she blurred in and out of sight, moving right around the high speed projectiles with lightning speed on three limbs, her other arm holding the burning spar of darkness high. Attempting to halt her charge with an axe to the face, Maxinaeus could barely keep up as she shot in a wide circle around him. Raising her weapon high, Anya sliced down in a sheer wave of darkness, the Nobody dodging just barely.

When Maxinaeus looked behind him and to his side, he saw a huge section of the Train Station plaza had been completely cut away, as if by some titanic sword of the gods.

"I'm not equipped to deal with this," he growled, opening a corridor of darkness. Taking one last look at the destroyed plaza, he added, "I will destroy you, Heartless."

And then he was gone.


	16. The Castle Seige

Reviews: Well, I'd like to personally thank all my reviewers right now. Love getting feedback on how I'm doing. Also, I'm finally on summer vacation! Anyway, time to start some more violence.

* * *

Chapter 15: The Castle Siege

* * *

"Come on, the portal's right ahead!" yelled Daxtin, urging his companions on. They had taken a minimal amount of time for Kairi to regain her energy and do some minor healing for them before immediately opening a portal to Radiant Garden. "We have to hurry!" 

The unspoken fear among the three of them was that they were too late and that the invasion had already begun.

The shining portal out of Betwixt and Between loomed huge before them as they stepped forwards out of the psychedelic rainbow and into the sunlight of the castle's main corridor, the great windowed hall where they first met Okina.

"Seems pretty quiet," noted Anya calmly as they looked around.

"Guess we made it in time," said Daxtin with a grin. His grin turned to a look of pain as an agile form came bounding out of the shadows and slammed into his back, leaping off him at the girls.

"Anya! Big Sis Kairi!" yelled Kentaro happily, bowling over the first one before leaping and wrapping himself around the second. Pausing from hugging and pawing and generally molesting the red head, he took a moment to notice Daxtin. "Oh, and _that_ guy. Why'd you bring him back?"

"G-glad to see you too, cat-boy," grimaced Daxtin, grinding his teeth as he restrained himself from committing bodily harm to the young thief.

"So why are you back? Come to visit me?" purred the boy gleefully as he hung on Kairi, rubbing his cheek against hers contentedly.

"More urgent news for you people," sighed Kairi, trying, without success, to pry the hormonally unstable adolescent off her body. "Do you know where everyone else is?"

"Um, I think Goat-Beard and Big Sis 'kina are with the King in his private office," shrugged the boy, finally dislodging from his current victim to go harass Anya.

"Goat-Beard?" asked Daxtin doubtingly as Anya backed away from the boy, whose tail swished like a cat on the prowl. The older boy only sighed in resignation as the thief leapt at her playfully while the timid girl ran away practically screaming.

"He means Cid," explained Kairi. "Anyway, let's head down there before Kentaro runs Anya up a wall."

* * *

"So, you've returned. Did you find the answers you sought?" asked Ansem in his gravelly voice from behind his round desk, its multitude of shining devices whirring away contentedly. 

"Yes, and no," replied Daxtin with a sigh. "They answered my questions, but they sure weren't the answers I wanted." The king raised an eyebrow but did not press the matter any further after inspecting the boy's face.

"So then, what brings you here?" he asked, changing to topic before Okina or Cid could question the teenager's answer.

"We've come to warn you," answered Anya, stepping forwards. "While there, Kairi learned that Organization XIII has planned an invasion of Radiant Garden."

"This comes as quite a surprise, though it makes sense, now that I think about it," murmured Ansem sagely. "Since you've left, the number of Heartless raids has gone down, almost disappearing, though we thought it was due to that last assault. Apparently, not because they were spent, but because they were gathering troops for this. Additionally, Tron has been picking up higher readings of darkness, though they haven't resolved into anything solid yet." Pausing to consider this, the weathered old man then asked, "Do you know when?"

"I think it'll be fairly soon," said Kairi. "We were even afraid that we might not have warned you in time."

"I see. So we have to work fast," said Ansem, eyes lost in thought. Looking up again, he then addressed his two retainers. "Okina, ready the guardsmen. Double the number of men on the ramparts."

"They can teleport inside of the city," supplied Daxtin helpfully. "The walls aren't quite so important against this kind of enemy."

"They could teleport right inside the castle!" realized Okina in a shocked voice.

"Not to worry," said Cid with a cocky grin, scratching his spiky unkempt beard. "Me an' Tron have got a handle on that, for the castle at least. Combined with the power from the court magicians we can run a barrier program that will render this place inviolable from any assault. We've tested it, and there are no means to get through the barrier as long as it holds. However, due to the power needed, we can only use this on the castle proper. The town's too big for us to protect with it."

"Good enough," grunted Ansem in acknowledgment. "Get right onto getting that up and running. Once you've done that, work with Tron on making sure all the defense systems are up and running."

"I can go with him," offered Kairi. "He said he'd need mages, so I can help there."

"Right," agreed Ansem, dismissing the two with a quick nod. "The rest of you, go with Okina. Make sure all the guardsmen know that as soon as they see any sign of Heartless, they're to fire signal flares. It's been too quiet lately, so the first Heartless will probably be the beginning of the invasion, though just in case, I want you to refrain from concentrating in any one area until you see three or more flares."

"Knowing them, we'll probably see the entire sky go up in fireworks all at once," Okina thought aloud. "They'll use an attack from all directions, actually, from all parts of the town, since they can appear anywhere, using the element of surprise and large numbers to their advantage. At least, that's how I'd do it if I had an almost infinite army like the Heartless and the Nobodies."

"Right, so make sure the troops are all ready and have the citizens on high alert," commanded Ansem firmly. "You have your orders, now get to it!"

* * *

It was nerve-wracking, waiting for the attack to come. In Daxtin's opinion, the fear and anticipation was far worse than the battle itself. He sat leaning back against the ramparts of the wall separating the castle from the town, his breathing shallow and quick. He jumped at every sound, his eyes flicking up to the sky every few seconds, waiting with dread for that first flash of the signal flare. 

Looking around, he tried to see if anyone felt as he did. The other guards talked in their own groups, their armored helms hiding their faces and their fear. Kentaro seemed oblivious to the impending danger, happily running back and forth across the parapet, waving at people looking nervously out their windows from inside the houses below on the other side of the stone wall. Okina meanwhile was calmly sharpening her katana, one of them lying on a folded piece of cloth as she polished the other, the little puffy cotton ball on a stick gently sliding up and down the honed edge. Sharpening sandpaper held between her lips as her hands worked at the sword with the current tool, her green eyes hard and cool as she concentrated on her work.

"You know, she's just as nervous as you are," said Anya, making Daxtin almost jump out of his skin as she sat down next to him. "That's just her way of hiding it."

"Really? Same for Kentaro?" asked Daxtin curiously, looking over at her. She took one rueful look at the young thief prancing back and forth, then turned an incredulous face on her friend.  
"He's just an idiot," she said bluntly. Daxtin laughed at this, the sort of nervous cracked laugh of a man who has to laugh, or go mad from the pressure. The little suited girl next to him smiled wearily at him. "It looks like we're no good at dealing with this kind of nervousness though, huh?"

"You can say that again," chuckled the boy humorlessly. "I wish we didn't have to wait so long."

"Well then, today's your lucky day," said Okina dryly, walking over and sheathing her swords. She pointed up behind them at the sky over the city. "Look."

Getting up and turning around, the two teenagers looked up at the single flickering flare that shot up into the sky, blotting out the first stars of the evening with its chemical light. All over the city, similar flares went up, lighting up the twilight air in a multitude of colors that would have been beautiful if not for their dreadful significance.

"It's begun," said Daxtin mournfully, and beside him, Anya nodded.

* * *

"The party's started!" yelled Cid loudly as the screens blinked and flashed before him, lighting his face with their fluorescent glow. 

"And the barrier?" Ansem's voice crackled over the intercom into the engineering room. "Is the barrier holding?"

"Works like a charm," replied the brown haired man. Pulling up different windows on the various screens, he then added, "Don't tell Kairi this, but I checked the power outputs for the mages supporting the barriers."

"Why, isn't she pulling her weight?" demanded the King gruffly.

"Actually, quite the opposite," said Cid with a grin. "Turns out, she's pulling her weight and then some. Half the power's coming from her."

"That is the power of a true Princess of Heart," murmured Ansem over the static, a note of pride in his voice. "Now, how are the other defenses holding up?"

* * *

"Triple red from the East Quarter!" yelled Okina as she struck down another armored Heartless, her blade easily sliding in and back out from between the chinks of its armor even as she watched the flares flicker and spark in the evening sky. "They've got trouble over there!" 

"There's trouble _everywhere_!" shouted Daxtin back as he knocked away an air soldier, where it soon met its doom under Kentaro's claws.

"She means extra trouble, Daxtin," replied Anya tiredly, dispatching a pair of neo-shadows with a slicing cut from the Shadow Lance. The boy had been nervous about seeing her darkness back so soon, but she had assured him it was okay. Despite this, he still kept an eye on her, ready to divide her from her darkness at a moment's notice, though his attention fell away from her as they were swept deeper into the battle.

"Triple red is for captain level trouble," confirmed Okina, clearing a path before heading towards where the signal had come from. "That'd be me, and probably you guys too."

"Right," nodded the other two, following her and Kentaro down the side street towards the endangered district. After fighting through hordes of Heartless and more than a few Nobodies, they found the source of the distress signal. An open plaza stood deserted of monsters of white or black, though all about were the crumpled bodies of fallen soldiers, some still moving, the others never to move again. In the center of the plaza stood a single black cloaked figure. Turning, the man pulled back his hood as he regarded them with icy blue eyes that glinted coldly like the little blue gem set in his forehead.

"You do look just like XIII," he noted coldly.

"Who are you?" growled Daxtin, brandishing Joiner and Divider menacingly.

"My name is Lexyni. I am number VI, the Blinking Acrobat," said the man, introducing himself calmly. "Now, enough of this. If you would be so kind as to die…"

With that, the white haired man charged forwards swiftly, easily performing a handless cartwheel out of the way of Daxtin's counterattack. With a flick of the wrists, the man brought out several small knives from his sleeves, holding them between his fingers. With another flick, he threw them at the group. Though most missed as the fighters dodged and scattered, one rebounded off of one of Daxtin's aura blades and nicked his cheek, drawing a long red line below his eye.

"You're not a very good shot, are you?" growled the boy, dodging more of the man's wildly aimed throws easily before closing in on him. Though it was easy enough to dodge the hasty, almost carelessly thrown knives, hitting the man was another problem. Even ganged up upon, it was almost impossible to get close to him. Every time Kentaro or Daxtin or Anya came close to hitting him, he'd blur out of existence and appear somewhere else, knives already thrown. "So, is jumping all you can do, Blinking Acrobat? Just blinking in and out of focus?"

"I'm not the one blinking," explained the pale man calmly as he appeared behind his attackers. "My knives are."

"What?" asked the boy in a confused voice. "What are you talking about?"

"This," replied the man with a thin, serpentine smile. He snapped his gloved fingers and Daxtin grunted in shock and pain as something pierced his shoulder. Reaching over and wrenching it out, he saw it was one of the man's stylized throwing knives. "Look all around you. Compared to how many knives that I threw, how many do you see lying on the ground? Those knives, the ones you thought that missed… they didn't. They just haven't hit their targets…yet."

"How is he doing this?" asked Kentaro cautiously, backing away and looking around, trying to spot the hidden knives.

"Time," replied Lexyni coldly. "It's all a matter of time."

Snapping his fingers, more knives shot out of thin air at them. Even though they were ready for it, the teenagers barely had time to dodge out of the way of the projectiles.

"He's storing them in time!" exclaimed Anya. "He stops them mid-flight, then lets them continue at a time when we're in their path."

"Exactly," hissed VI approvingly. He threw another set of knives in a wide arc, missing them for the most part, but as the trio watched, the knives shimmered and blinked out of existence.

"If that's true," worked out Daxtin, "then this whole place is one giant booby trap full of knives he's thrown!"

At this, Lexyni smiled coldly and snapped his fingers and a number of knives shot out of the air from the right. Daxtin dodged away from them, only to be struck by a set of knives thrown by the Nobody himself. Lexyni then turned his attentions to Anya, dodging out of the range of her Shadow Lance and counterattacking with a number of knives from behind, the steel implements flying out of their time pocket and into her back. Turning, he quickly threw a set of knives at the scrambling Kentaro who had been trying to sneak up on him.

"Missed me," grinned the cat-boy, nimbly dodging out of the way. He quickly zigzagged back and forth as he covered the distance between them, quickly dodging sets of knives and surprise attacks with agile leaps and bounds. Leaping up, he pulled back his arms to claw the man full in the face, only to cough blood as a knife shot in from the side, stabbing deep into his stomach.

"Now I didn't," hissed Lexyni triumphantly, grinning viciously at the young thief's look of agony.

"Made you look!" said Kentaro with a sudden grin. The Nobody's look of confusion was replaced by one of shock and pain as Daxtin attacked him from behind. Teleporting before the boy could continue the assault, he regarded the trio with eyes that burned hatefully before raising his hands and snapping his fingers.

Immediately knives began raining out of the air from all directions, cutting them up horribly as they tried to cover themselves. Lexyni cackled maniacally as their blood sprayed into the air then stopped as the rain of knives suddenly ceased.

"Hah…hah…out of… hidden knives?" smiled Daxtin grimly, wiping the blood from his face and shaking a number of knives off of himself. Charging forwards, he swung out at the cloaked man who blurred out of the way, only to turn and quickly catch Lexyni in the side as he reappeared behind him. The Organization member retreated a little ways then threw a series of knives at him.

"No," said Anya simply, as she blurred by, trailing blood and knives. Midair, the thrown knives burst apart as they were sliced neatly in half by the smoldering spar of darkness held in her blackened hand. When she looked back over her shoulder at him, he could see the shadows creeping across her face, her eyes already black except for the glowing stars in their centers.

"Fine then," he murmured coldly. Then he shouted, "Now, Darian!"

Anya cried out in time with the sound of the shot as the shot went through her neck, splattering the flagstones of the plaza red. As she hit the ground, the Shadow Lance flickered, and then disappeared as her skin returned to its pale color and her eyes became those of a hurt, dying child.

"A sniper!" yelled Daxtin, jumping back and trying to find the source of the shot. It was all he could say before the next laser arrow went through his shoulder, knocking him back onto the plaza. Clutching his wound, he pointed with his other hand. "He's over there!"

"That he is," stated Lexyni calmly as Kentaro fell to the ground, nimble but unable to avoid a shot in the leg. "But he's not the Longshot for nothing. He's in that tower on the edge of the city. Even if you did get past me, he'd kill you long before you three even got close to him."

"Maybe us," panted Kentaro from the ground, clutching his wounded limb with both paws, "but not Okina."

Eyes widening, Lexyni suddenly realized what was wrong. Four people had walked into the plaza on him. He had only been fighting three.

* * *

"Okay, that's three," murmured the cloaked man, from atop his high perch. "Now, where's the fourth one…" 

Suddenly realizing that he hadn't seen her the whole time, he put down the sniper rifle and looked around at the world outside the scope. He spotted her just in time, sneaking up along the wall below him and disappearing into the tower. Slinging the gun back over his shoulder, he pulled off the rifle, which was also outfitted to fire laser arrows. Backing away from the entrance to the roof, he crouched down and aimed at the door, waiting for it to open.

The door creaked open and a blurred shape shot out. Firing in rapid succession, he riddled the intruder full of holes, only to find he was firing at a tin pan. Too late, he turned to fire upon the pink-haired woman that had made it onto the roof and into the open, instead of being pinned down in the entrance. Okina dodged, maintaining an erratic zigzagging movement as she closed the distance between her and the gunman. Putting on a burst of speed, she rocketed towards him in a deadly lunge as he rolled to avoid the attack. As the tall man came to his feet, his hood blew off in the tower winds, revealing a scarred and worn long face, eyes covered by darkened shades.

"Okina, Captain of the Guards," she said with a grin.

"Number IV," replied the man. "Darian, the Longshot."


	17. Griever

Aloria: My newest steady reviewer! Anyway, here's the next chapter. More violence. Nothing intense like the first time you meet VII, but that's okay. But it's all the action you're getting for a little while, so there. Anyway, here it is.

* * *

Chapter 16: Griever

* * *

Lexyni looked down at the three injured warriors, then back towards the tower in the distance. When nothing happened, he armed himself with more knives in a quick flick of his wrists. 

"Fine then," he murmured. "I'll finish you myself." As he walked over, Daxtin crawled over to where Anya lay, bleeding and still.

"Anya! Come on, Anya, move!" he yelled, shaking her roughly.

"Kill bad guy first, worry later!" warned Kentaro, stumbling to his feet. Licking his thumb, he winced and then dipped the digit into his open wound. Taking the bloody thumb, he then drew out a quick design on the ground in splashy red before slamming his pawed hand down on it. "Doton: Seventeen Columns of Earth!"

Immediately, the ground rumbled before spitting up giant pillars of stone at the cloaked Nobody. The man dodged the attacks with agility and grace, only to encounter Daxtin's aura blades. The boy smacked him in the side with one blade, only to hit nothing but air with the second strike as the Blinking Acrobat dodged back and threw a series of knives at him, the ones that he didn't deflect disappearing for later use.

"Hey, clown! Over here!" mocked Kentaro from where he stood perched the tree that stood in the center of the plaza. Finishing his bloody design on the bark, he slammed his hand down on it, intoning, "Mokudon: Twenty-Nine Bars of Wood!"

Roots shot out of the ground around Lexyni, meeting at the top to form a giant wooden cage. The man merely frowned then pulled out more knives. In a flash, he was out, the wooden beams falling in slices behind him. This however gave Daxtin time to sneak up and charge him.

"Take this!" he shouted, swinging out with Joiner and Divider. Lexyni dodged the first attack only to move into the way of the second one. Daxtin's triumphant grin turned to a wince of pain as the wound in his arm ached with twinges of agony. Seeing his weakness, VI lashed out with his knives, throwing a flurry of them in the air at the boy at point blank. Daxtin cried out in pain as several knives stuck into him and several others flew past, disappearing into time.

"Even if you look like XIII, you're so much weaker than him," noted Lexyni coldly before lashing out to finish him off.

* * *

The rifle rang out as Darian shot at her, the laser arrow leaving a long scorch mark across the pristine white tiles of the tower's roof as Okina dodged out of the way. Katana flashing, she deflected some of the powerful shots while moving ever closer. As the warrior closed in, the scarred Organization member slung his rifle back over his back and pulled a large handgun out of its holster, this too outfitted to fire laser projectiles. Taking aim, he deflected her sword swing with a well aimed shot, then leaned back, avoiding the strike from her other blade. Bringing his barrel to bear, he shot at her head, missing by inches as she dodged back, losing momentum on her attack. Quickly recovering, she shifted to the side, avoiding his next shot before moving in, slashing downwards with one katana which he deflected with another shot, then cut from the side. Darian's scarred face showed no surprise and he easily blocked it with the metal length of his gun, catching the blade between spikes of the laser-arrow array. As each one fought to overpower the other, Okina lashed out with her free blade, only to encounter the length of his rifle held in his other hand. 

"Oh, you're good," she said with a grin as they both pressed closer, faces almost touching as they tried to overpower each other.

"So are you," replied Darian in his deep monotone. With no warning, he pulled the trigger for his handgun, firing off to the right as he gave a shove. Okina saw the stray shot disappear into a miniature portal and leapt back and down just in time as the laser shot out from behind her, going right through where she had been moments before.

"Twisting of space," she noted as she got to her feet and readied her blades. "Clever." Grinning, she crouched down, the air crackling around her as she gathered her battle aura. "Let's do this thing."

* * *

"Suiton: Nine Chains of Water!" 

As Kentaro slammed his hand on the crimson design he had drawn on the exposed water pipe, the metal tube exploded open as nine tendrils of water shot out at the Organization member. Lexyni ducked and dodged the attempting fetters as they tried to catch him, preventing him from finishing Daxtin off. Throwing his knives, he methodically severed them one by one from their source, returning the questing limbs back to liquid.

Snapping his fingers, he jumped away from Daxtin as the boy lunged forwards, sending a wave of knives at the attacker. Daxtin grunted in pain as Kentaro tackled him out of the way, both of them hitting the broken up flagstones hard and rolling across the ground. The two of them scrambled to their feet then jumped away from each other as another volley of knives shot in from time.

"Pathetic," sneered Lexyni, floating to one side as Daxtin lunged at him, the boy wincing as another knife buried itself in his side. "In your state, you can't even touch me. And your partner just limps around randomly bleeding all over the place."

"It's not random," assured Kentaro with a feline grin. Slamming both hands down onto the bloody line he had just drawn, the entire plaza glowed red as the giant design he had scrawled across the ground lit up. "Neko-ton: Super Cat of Doom!"

A giant overweight cat roughly the size of a small house appeared above them. Meowing obliviously, the monstrous feline came hurtling down like a furry meteor at the stunned black cloaked figure. Lexyni only stared in shock as the cat came down on him, crashing into the ground in a cloud of dust. However, when the dust cleared, Lexyni was still hovering a little ways off the ground, more or less unharmed with his arms over his head.

"What… was that?" he hissed, looking around.

"A distraction!" yelled Daxtin, slamming his blades into the Blinking Acrobat. The Organization member came crashing down into the flagstones, slamming hard off of them before bouncing to a halt a few yards away.

"Made you look," grinned Kentaro, making a face, and then coughing weakly. "Hey, Daxtin, settle this up quick, neh? I'm running out of blood."

"You got it," he said, dashing forwards at Lexyni as the pale man got to his feet.

"Too late," intoned VI coldly, snapping his fingers. As he did, hundreds of knives, caught in mid-flight, all appeared in the air around them. Slowly, they turned to focus on the two stunned teenagers. "Now die."

Snapping his fingers again, the knives became a flash of steel, the storm all centering on Daxtin and Kentaro. The omni-directional attack was impossible to dodge, and the boys cried out in pain as they tried to defend themselves, only to become cut and slashed in the cloud of knives. As the rain ended, Daxtin groaned and turned over to look up at the looming figure of Lexyni, knife held lightly in one hand.

"Now, you die," intoned the Blinking Acrobat coldly. "And this time, there's no one here to save you."

* * *

"This is great!" laughed Okina, moving with lightning speed to avoid the laser arrows that came flying in from every direction. "If you ever think of changing sides, we could use a man of your talents." 

The scarred Darian gave no response to this other than to fire more shots at her. She dodged with swift agility, her sparking blades carving long rents in the tiles of the tower roof as she moved. Dodging quickly to one side, she deflected one of the blasts back at Darian, who quickly stepped back into a space portal, appearing behind her. Turning, she ducked under his first shot, then lashed out with her katana, knocking his rifle out of aim as he blocked her other blade with his pistol. Jumping up, she leapt over his retaliating kick, flipping in the air before wrapping her legs around his neck then using her momentum, flipped again and slammed him down onto the ground. While he managed keep his head from hitting the floor, Darian still ended up with his breath getting knocked out. Okina quickly jumped away as he shot several lasers, which redirected themselves through space to come back out firing at her. Deflecting several of them, she grunted in pain as one got past her guard, burying itself in her shoulder with a hissing singe. Growling, she refocused her battle aura, her katana both crackling with renewed energy as Darian stumbled back to his feet.

"This battlefield is unfavorable," he noted clinically. Motioning, he opened a dark portal for a long range jump. "I need range."

"Oh no, you don't!" yelled Okina lunging forwards. Putting on a burst of speed, she lashed out, throwing one of her katana at him. The scarred man grunted in pain as the katana pierced his leg. As he lost concentration, the dark portal closed behind him. "Now, let's see you run with that in your leg."

* * *

"Wrong. There's one person here to save him." 

There was a flash of black and Lexyni flew back from the impact as it appeared in front of him, exploding with power. Before him she stood, that utter spar of darkness gripped tightly into her right hand, ribbons of night coming off her.

"That's impossible… you're dead!" snarled the disheveled Lexyni, staring in shock at the girl who stood before him. Her eyes were pitch black except for the shining stars within that stared out with deadly intensity. "He shot you straight through the neck!"

"But not through my heart," Anya pointed out darkly. Stepping forwards, the flagstones shattered and floated up, caught up in her overpowering aura of darkness. Tightening her grip, the shadows slid over her hand, sliding up her sleeve. Soon, the dark shadows crawled over her face, engulfing her in utter black. "I can't weaken. Not for a second. Otherwise, she'll buck me off and trample me under her hooves."

Lunging forwards, she slashed horizontally at the Organization member. Lexyni leapt up over the flying wave of shadows, flipping in the air and throwing a series of knives at her. Anya dispersed them in with a negligent wave of her other hand, destroying them in flash of darkness. As Lexyni landed lightly back on the ground, the buildings behind him crumbled in a crash of stone and dust, cut clean through by Anya's darkness.

"Fine then," hissed the Nobody. Spinning about, he launched hundreds upon hundreds of knives into the air all around, his arms blurring in accelerated time. Only a few actually shot out at Anya, and she cut these out of the air with ease. However, at the snap of his gloved fingers, the blades turned in their course, re-aiming their points at the scion of darkness. At the next snap of his fingers, the blades accelerated in place, the time blurring around them as they picked up speed. At the third snap, they all flew in at flashing speed. Super-powered Heartless or not, there was no way to dodge a fatal blow from the thousand raining knives. "I'll kill you!"

The plaza flashed black, then white. The whole world held its breath as the explosion shook the ground, the power of her aura exploding out in a spiraling wave of energy. Buildings crumbled and blew away in the force of it. The knives, the tree, the very stones beneath their feet crumbled into dust at the epicenter of the blast. There was no sound. There was no time. There was only power. And then it was gone.

Lexyni stood, stunned and ragged, his black cloak in tatters around him and his wavy wisps of white hair a disheveled halo about his head. All around, the broken walls fell apart and shattered water pipes sprayed sadly. In the center, Anya stood, the darkness radiating out from her. Taking one look at her, Lexyni opened a corridor of darkness, and then retreated into it, the portal closing after him.

As the enemy disappeared, Anya's aura died down, the darkness retracting into her body, then flowing back down her arm into the Shadow Lance, which then disappeared. As her feet settled back down onto the shattered flagstones, the rubble stirred behind her as the wounded Daxtin dug himself out along with Kentaro, who didn't look to be in much better shape.

"Are you alright? You darkness, did it…?" gasped Daxtin, stumbling over to the young girl.

"Am I alright?" laughed Anya weakly, turning to face them. "Look at you two. No, I'm fine. I don't have a body, you know? It's just darkness." Sighing she looked away, eyes downcast. "As for my darkness… I still control it. Just need getting used to it. Almost lost it, but not quite."

"Right," sighed Kentaro. "Next time, try to focus it, instead of killing us too."

"Well, either way, we're all accounted for," said Daxtin with a shrug. "You, me, Anya, Okina. Wait a second," he interrupted himself. "Where's Okina?"

* * *

"Come on, come on," grinned the Captain of the Guards, ignoring her multiple wounds as she charged her opponent. Lashing out, she continued on as he dodged, picking up her thrown sword from where Darian had left it after prying it out of his leg. Leaping, she dodged a hastily aimed laser and ducked under a redirected shot before lunging at him, her swords drawing blood as one deflected off his gun, and the other sliced into the Longshot's side. The man leapt back, bringing his guns to aim on her. She dodged the next few shots, closing in with her katana ready. Lunging in, she blocked and skidded back as he deflected her swords with well aimed shots. Suddenly he was there, before her, barrel to her eye. 

"Over," he said in a tone of finality. He pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

He pulled it again, rewarded only with a futile clicking noise. He was out of ammo. Grinning, Okina leapt forwards, lashing out with her dual swords. The scarred man dodged back, stumbling as he came down hard on his injured leg.

"Now it's over!" shouted the red-head, charging at him. However, before she could reach him, a dark portal opened behind IV and Lexyni stepped out, ragged but armed.

"We'll settle this some other time," hissed the Blinking Acrobat before grabbing his companion and pulling him back into the portal. The dark corridor closed before Okina could reach them, much to her frustration. However, she had no time to dwell on her escaped opponent as three glaring eyes of red flared up over the South Quarter.

"Tch. It's always something," she said with a grim smile before turning and heading back down into the tower.

* * *

They all arrived at the source of the signal at about the same time. Okina came running in from one street while Daxtin, Kentaro, and Anya came limping in from another. They had encountered little resistance on the way over; already, the tide of battle was turning in their favor as soldiers and automated defenses beat the hordes of Heartless and Nobodies back. However, depending on who this new enemy was, it could just as quickly turn around. 

Standing in the center, surrounded by soldiers both wary, wounded, and dead, was a tall man in a black cloak. In his hand was held a long steel blade, the handle to it bent at an angle, giving it a gun-like appearance completed by the presence of a revolver barrel just above an intricate carving of a lion on the blade.

"That sword… Lionheart," gasped Okina, catching sight of the man as she regrouped with the other three. As the black cloaked figure turned to face them, she tried to identify the face hidden under the hood. "It can't be…"

"It's you!" exclaimed Daxtin in surprise, also recognizing the weapon. "You're the one that kidnapped Kairi!"

"…so you didn't give up," murmured the cloaked man calmly. "You should have. I'll just be forced to hurt you more." Stalking forwards to them, he dispatched the guards in his way with almost negligent ease, his sword raking long slashes in their bodies and ringing out with every shot of his gunblade. Daxtin brandished Joiner and Divider then charged to meet him.

"Wait, stop!" shouted Okina, halting the boy in his tracks as the man continued his approach. "You… it's you, isn't it? Rann."

Pausing in his stride, he slowly considered her before sweeping back his hood with one hand. He revealed a solemn face with hard brown eyes under long locks of chestnut hair which hung down in loose locks around his eyes and down onto his shoulders. His serious face was unmarred except for a large X-shaped scar between his eyes, which stared out at them with cold intensity.

"It's not Rann anymore," he said quietly. "It's Griever." Pausing to cut down a soldier that was coming up behind him, he then added, "Or if you prefer… number VII, the Silent Arbiter."

"I don't care what you call yourself!" yelled Daxtin angrily. "But you hurt Kairi, and for that, you're going down!" Charging forwards, he lunged at the man, Joiner and Divider swinging as he attacked in all disregard of his injuries. Griever easily sidestepped the attack, then lashed out at the boy's unprotected back. Before he could strike though, Anya was there, the Shadow Lance blocking his attack. Lunging at him, the young girl swung mercilessly, beating him back as he passively parried the blows. Then, knocking his gunblade out of the way, her eyes flashed black as she swung in a single deciding blow, a straight wave of darkness cutting through him. Behind him, the nearby building crumbled, cut straight in half. However, the Silent Arbiter merely stared out at her with his cold, dead eyes, the only injury on him a long tear through the arm of his black cloak, and a shallow cut on the flesh beneath on the arm raised in front of him to guard. Anya, eyes returning to normal in her exhaustion, could only stare in shock, then fear as she watched the end of her Shadow Lance slip away then disappear, cleanly cut right through.

"When did he…?" she gasped before he swung his blade, sending her flying with a controlled wave of force. She crashed into a wall, then fell to the ground in a senseless heap.

"You bastard!" roared Daxtin as he turned and charged recklessly at the cloaked man again. Griever dodged back from the attack then easily deflected the boy's next swinging strike. Turning, he sidestepped the boy's lunge and used his sword to block Okina's surprise attack. Taking his time, he used his opponent's fatigue and frustration to his advantage, using minimal energy as he dodged and deflected attacks from all sides, his one blade matching Okina and Daxtin's four.

"Katon: Eighty-Three Needles of Flame!" shouted Kentaro, coughing blood all over his design as he slammed a paw-gloved fist down on the flagstone. As he did, burning points of fire appeared all throughout the air around Griever. In the blink of an eye, they became blurring lines of incineration. Griever only looked about calmly as Daxtin and Okina jumped out of the way. Then, breathing deep and drawing his aura about him, he moved into action, his arms a blur. All around, the air sizzled as steel met fire, needles of flame shooting in every direction as Lionheart became a silver blur of metal and power. Giving one final slash, the plaza shook with his power as he dispersed the remaining fires. Then, holding out one gloved hand, his eyes flashed diamond hard as he gathered energy in his palm. Releasing the spell, the giant fireball went hurtling across the plaza, knocking the thief off his feet and crashing into a pile of rubble. Not even looking, Griever then countered a slow attack by Daxtin and slashed open a large bloody cut across his chest.

"Just you and me," he murmured solemnly as he faced Okina. The Captain of the Guard stared at him, breathing hard, her katana shaking in her hands as he approached.

"Why…? Why are you with them?" she gasped raggedly. "Why are you helping the Organization? Why do you want Kingdom Hearts?" She was yelling now. "Why? Why did you betray us when we needed you most? Why did you abandon the guards? Why did you leave us?" Breathing in short, shallow breaths, she paused, then added quietly, "Rann…Why did you leave _me_?"

Griever paused in his approach, looking at her emotionlessly. His lips parted, as if he was about to answer her, then closed again. He shook his head sadly then said, "Enough talk."

Holding out his blade, he gathered his aura about him. Then, black cloak whirling about him, he lunged forwards, hard eyes focused between his cross-shaped scar.

"Fire!"

Griever dodged back as the flaming projectile came crashing down, scattering white flagstones in its wake. Looking up, he stared frigidly up at the small figure standing atop a nearby building. The intruder jumped down, twisting an agile flip before coming down on the pavement. It was a young boy, his lanky brown hair threatening to cover one side of his youthful, smiling face. He wore a short-sleeved jacket loosely over his T-shirt, along with lopsided black pants with one leg zipped off into shorts, the other still long over his skinny legs and overly large shoes. One hand was in a fingerless glove, the other had a padded hand backing with long strips forming a gauntlet around his lower arm. Both hands gripped the Kingdom Key.

"Kir!" exclaimed Okina in surprise as the boy turned and shot her a cocky grin over his shoulder.

"The hero always arrives just in time," proclaimed the young Keyblade Master, facing his opponent.

"…whatever," murmured Griever noncommittally. Looking around, he watched as Anya, Daxtin, and Kentaro got back up onto their feet and numerous soldiers filed in from other parts of the city. Looking up, he could see dark portals opening as hordes of Heartless and Nobodies retreated. Turning, he waved his hand, shadows rippling up from the ground into a corridor of darkness.

"Hey, get back here!" shouted Kir impatiently. The man ignored him.

"Yeah… I'm. Not. Done. With you," gasped Daxtin, stumbling towards him, barely able to stand. VII paid him no heed either.

"Rann, wait!" yelled Okina desperately. The man paused before the churning abyss. "Rann… it's about her, isn't it? That's why, right? Because of Meili."

Anger burst out in a palpable wave as Griever's aura exploded in a storm of fury and rage. Everyone in the square was knocked off their feet by the force of it as the power radiating from him sent stone and man alike flying. When it calmed down, the Silent Arbiter took one last look over his shoulder at her. His eyes were still cold and emotionless, yet she could just barely see the smallest flicker of sorrow in them. Then he turned, stepped through the portal, and was gone.

"So that's it, isn't it?" said Okina sadly. "I guess that name fits you…Griever."


	18. Reunion

Late: Three days, to be exact. Because stupid wouldn't load my documents. But it's finally fixed! Anyway, here's the next chapter. Lack of violence, except on Kairi's part. And kind of short. Ah well. But it's sort of an in-between chapter. Next is the paper world. With fighting. And awesomeness. Anyway, read on and I'll write soon.

* * *

Chapter 17: Reunion

* * *

"Kairi!" 

"Kir!" shouted the red haired girl happily, running forwards and hugging him tightly. Swinging the shorter teenager around, the two childhood friends laughed cheerfully at being reunited after so long. "How have you been? What've you been up to?"

"Oh, just saving the world, that sort of thing, you know," said the bright-eyed key bearer with a grin. "Nothing important. And what are you doing out here?"

"You took too long getting home, so I decided to come look for you!" giggled Kairi, ruffling his hair up teasingly.

"Well, you found me," said the boy, smiling ruefully as he reordered his brown locks. "Did you find Diant?"

At this, the princess's face fell, her eyes going from happy to tragic in a flash.

"Um, yeah, about that…" said Daxtin, breaking in on their reunion. "We kinda found him… but he doesn't want to come home yet."

"You!" shouted Kir, jumping back in surprise, keyblade appearing in his hand. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm fighting the good fight, what's it look like?" replied Daxtin skeptically. "And don't you dare start yelling about 'Give back Diant', or I will personally beat you to death, Keyblade Master or not."

"Now, now, boys, calm down," urged Kairi nervously, stepping between them. "Now, I gather you two have met before, under worse conditions. Let's just treat it all as a big misunderstanding, and start over, okay?" The two boys looked unconvinced and refused to face each other. Sighing, she turned then to the last bastion of rationality. "Anya, talk to them!" she pleaded.

Shrugging, the suited young girl walked over to Kir and held out her hand.

"Hey, my name's Anya," she said with a smile as she introduced herself.

"Oh, I'm Kir," grinned the boy in reply, taking her hand and shaking it warmly. Then he stopped as he recognized her, and eyes widening, dropped her hand like a hot rock and leapt back away from her, keyblade reappearing as he went into a defensive stance. "Gah, Heartless!" He turned and pointed the powerful weapon on Daxtin. "Gah, Nobody! I'm surrounded!"

"That's it," grumbled Kairi darkly, walking up behind him. In one quick move, the taller girl but the young boy into a firm headlock, one arm around his neck gripping the other that went under his arm. "Oh, Kir, darling…"

"Yes, big sister?" he asked nervously, struggling feebly in her grasp.

"These are my friends, got it?" she intoned threateningly, giving a squeeze for emphasis and eliciting a small gasping noise from the captive child. "The girl is Anya, the boy is Daxtin. They. Are. My. Friends," she repeated, emphasizing each word with a tight squeeze of her headlock. "You will be nice and stop waving that key around, got it?"

"Got it," squeaked Kir as she squeezed hard before letting him go. Gasping, he flushed with embarrassment as Anya and Daxtin laughed at him.

"Come on, now let's go see the others," said Kairi cheerfully, back to her regular, sunshiny self.

* * *

"Kir, I've been looking all over for you!" 

The young boy nearly jumped out of his skin as Kentaro came flying out of a side passage and immediately latched onto him. Purring loudly, the thief rubbed his cheek happily against Kir's, ignoring the fact that the other boy was having trouble balancing with the added weight attached to his torso.

"I missed you!" proclaimed Kentaro, affectionately licking Kir's face. "After I went to help get Okina into the infirmary to get patched up, you totally disappeared! Where'd you go?"

"I was just talking with Kairi," replied the victimized boy blithely, making a futile attempt to pry him off.

"No, I meant before you came back to Radiant Garden," clarified the cat-boy.

"What? But you…your words… implied…" sighing, Kir gave up trying to keep him from abusing the spoken language. "I was out and about, saving the world, okay?"

"Okay, that works," replied Kentaro happily, resuming purring and rubbing against Kir's face.

"Um, so, Kentaro," interrupted Kairi, "where's everyone else?"

"Hmm? You mean Spiky and Big Sis and the King?" asked the boy. At her nod, he answered, "They're in his office. Come on!"

* * *

"Well, so now we're all gathered," murmured Ansem sagely as they assembled in his office. "The forces of good are finally all here." 

"Who's the old guy?" asked Kir obliviously, pointing a finger at the rugged king and looking over at Kairi. A stunned silence filled the circular office.

"You idiot, that's his Majesty, the King!" yelled Kairi, smacking the boy upside the head. "Show some respect!"

"I'm sorry, your Majesty!" he shouted nervously, apologizing profusely. "Please forgive my rudeness!"

"Relax," sighed Ansem, waving the boy off. "I have the same reaction every time I look in the mirror. Please, be at ease. Be forward, as you normally would. I'd rather hear the truth than honeyed lies."

"Oh, okay," said the boy, relaxing. "So this old geezer's the king?"

"Not that forward!" hissed Kairi next to him, raising a threatening fist. The boy shrunk back instinctively and didn't relax for a few minutes until he opened his eyes and saw she wasn't going to hit him.

"So, as I was saying, we're all gathered, finally," Ansem rumbled on in his gravelly voice, ignoring the peanut gallery. "We have successfully repelled the forces of evil from taking our stronghold. Are there any other pressing issues from abroad on our schedule?"

"Well, I know of the world that the Organization is attacking next," volunteered Kir. "When I last fought with Xencarsse, he let it slip that they were going to attack a world called Kami. It wasn't until later that I found out they were also attacking here. They're going there because a powerful witch apparently captured the Angel of the Abyss or something." He sighed then, and added, "Also, I'm afraid I can't help anymore."

"Why not?" the others demanded of him.

"Because every Heartless I strike down helps the Organization," he explained. "Every time I use the Keyblade on a Heartless, the released heart goes to help form Kingdom Hearts, which is their goal. This entire time they've been manipulating me. By helping us, I'm helping them," he said sadly. "I'm sorry, but I can't help anymore."

And with that, he turned and left the room. For a moment, everything was silent, and then Ansem spoke up, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Well then, I leave it up to you, Cid, to find the location of that world," he murmured. As the slacker engineer left, he continued on with, "Now, why did he say Organization XIII was going there?"

"Something about some Angel or something like that," shrugged Daxtin. Beside him, Kairi absently nodded her agreement, though she seemed to have her mind elsewhere.

"The Angel of the Abyss!" exclaimed Okina in alarm.

"The who of the what now?" asked Daxtin in confusion.

"The Angel of the Abyss," repeated Ansem. Seeing the looks of skepticism on the faces of the younger listeners, he then explained. "His name is Sephiroth, Angel of the Abyss. He is the closest to a god that anyone on this world or any other has ever seen. He is the Destroyer of Worlds, unimaginably powerful. His purpose is nothing but to return the universe to nothing, as was his Mother's original mission."

"Um, is it just me, or wouldn't an angelic destroyer of the universe be in at least mythology, well, _everywhere_?" questioned the boy skeptically. "I mean, if this god-guy-angel-thing is running around, how come I've never heard of him?"

"Well, both you and Kairi come from relatively sheltered worlds," reasoned the King. "Besides, he's only been around for the past four or five hundred years. Before then, he was two people, the One Winged Angel, and a fierce warrior named Cloud. But at some time or another, Sephiroth overcame Cloud, and absorbed him into his darkness, becoming the Angel of the Abyss."

"Okay, so we've got the Destroyer of Worlds," Kairi recounted. "And… this witch who's captured him. And now Organization XIII's going there, and we have to stop them."

"Wait, this doesn't make sense," interrupted Daxtin. "I mean, obviously, this Angel of the Abyss is a bad guy, right? Of the sort that he'll kill the Organization on sight, along with everyone else, right? And this witch has him contained, right? So why do we care? If he stays captured, all the better. If Organization XIII lets him loose, he'll probably kill them all and then we're back to being in a universe with an Angel of the Abyss and no Organization XIII. So I repeat, why do we care?"

"Let me explain it simply," said Ansem wearily. "I'm sure you've noticed how people focus their power in fights, right? That is what we call your battle aura. The strength of your attacks all depends on this, not on the strength of your muscles, but the strength of your heart. Now that you understand this, let me show you our problem. Sephiroth, Angel of the Abyss, has the most powerful battle aura in the universe. The amount of power he gives off unconsciously is more than you give off when trying your hardest. Now, imagine what anyone, especially Organization XIII, can do if they have a nexus of power that strong in their hands." Ansem nodded as understanding slowly dawned on their faces. "Exactly. They don't want to release him. They want his power for their own. And even if they don't succeed, whoever caught him to begin with is doing the same. It is of utmost importance that we prevent Organizaton XIII from taking Sephiroth, and that we destroy the Angel while he is in this weakened state, and if that is not possible, release him. Free, he is chaotic, destructive, and malicious. He is evil incarnate, chaos made real. But he is no man's dog. If there is unrestrained good, there must also be unrestrained evil. He's a nearly elemental force, practically natural, like death. But the in the hands of someone with a direct intent, especially involving Kingdom Hearts… that could be the end of this world, and all others."

* * *

"Kir, are you okay?" 

"I'm fine, Kairi," sighed the boy despondently, staring out the window at the city lights. "You should get to sleep; you got a big day tomorrow, huh?"

"Well, if you want anyone to talk with, you know where to find me," replied the red head from out in the hall. "Good night, Kir."  
"Good night," mumbled Kir, sinking deeper into depression as he looked out from the room he had been provided. Watching the lights of the city flicker on and off in the evening cool, the young boy heaved a long, heavy sigh.

"Hey, what's your problem?"

Kir jumped back in surprise, falling off of his bed, crashing and sprawling onto the floor as Daxtin popped in through the window, diving head first before bouncing off the bed and landing on his feet. That done, he fell back and seated himself on the disheveled spread, looking down at the younger boy.

"W-what are you doing here?" demanded Kir. "How'd you get in?"

"I'm in the room next to yours. Climbed in across the ledge," he explained flippantly. "Now, back to my question. What's your problem?"

"You mean besides the crazy Nobody in my room?" yelled Kir irately.

"Hey, Kairi told you to be nice, remember?" Daxtin reminded him. "Anyway, keep your voice down." The boy just stuck out his lower lip in a pout and looked away. "So seriously, what's eating you, kid?" He waited, then went to ask again when he noticed that there were tears in the boy's eyes.

"You sound so much like him," Kir said softly.

"You really miss him, huh?" asked Daxtin pityingly.

"Yeah," said Kir sadly, his head hanging low as he rested his arms on his knees. "And now I can't even help him without helping out enemies. I'm supposed to be some destined hero, but what am I supposed to do when the Keyblade Wielder can't wield the Keyblade?"

"I don't see why not," shrugged off Daxtin calmly.

"What?" asked Kir, looking up suddenly.

"I mean, you aren't actually helping them," explained the older boy. "When you destroy Heartless, it releases the hearts to Kingdom Hearts. But they end up there eventually anyway. Besides, the way I see it, all you have to do is seal up Kingdom Hearts before they can get it, right?"

"It's not that simple!" he protested.

"Maybe not," replied Daxtin, climbing back out the window, "But you think about it. Okay?"

"Hey," said Kir suddenly. The older boy paused in making his escape, looking back over his shoulder at him. "Thanks."

"Sure thing," smiled Daxtin before hopping out the window onto the outside ledge. "Sleep well, Kir."

"Yeah," said the boy. "Sleep well… Daxtin."


	19. Paper War

Jenova: Hey, it's time for everyone's favorite silver-haired trio. Lots of fighting. More fighting next chapter. And other cool stuff. Also, my dad's digital camera arrived today, so I should soon be able to get pictures of my characters on the web, although if you bug Aloria, she already has pictures of Anya and Okina on her site that she did. Anyway, here's the next chapter, hope you like it.

* * *

Chapter 18: Paper War

* * *

"Mistress, what is your command?" 

"Are they still out there?" asked Emeline tiredly. Angrily, she added several large jagged swords to the arsenal of the armored servant she was drawing.

"Yeah," muttered the man next to the first speaker. Then, sniffling, he added, "I… I still can't believe you found us both our big brothers."

"Are you crying again, Loz?" asked the third man with a sneer, his smile thin and crafty behind his veil of long, silvery hair. He wore a tight fitting outfit of black leather jacket and pants, with two long guns strapped at his sides, both of which had their barrels fused with sharpened blades.

"I-I'm not crying," asserted the larger man, wiping at his face with a meaty arm. Like his brothers, his hair was also silvery and his eyes the same aqua blue-green of their older brother. However, his hair was cut in a short buzz cut, which fit much better with his large, thick frame and blocky face. On his right arm was strapped a strange wrist guard of metal with two prongs on the end and an extendable handle.

"Yazoo, Loz, stop fighting," commanded the first man smoothly. He was the youngest of them, but from his stance and demeanor, he was obviously the leader of the three. He wore his shiny hair long, though not as long as Yazoo did. His face was more youthful and full of energy and drive. "So, as I was asking… what is your command, Mistress?"

"That pathetic Organization," murmured Emeline absently, adding intricate designs to the drawing's armor. "Instead of forming Kingdom Hearts, they're out here. Useless." Sighing, she finished up her drawing and closed her book before getting up and swinging her legs over the edge of her bed. Jumping off, she walked over to the silver haired trio. "They're here to steal your brother, you know that?" she murmured.

"No, they can't!" exclaimed Loz in dismay. At the thought of losing his brothers again, his eyes started watering up. Much to the disgust of Yazoo, the big man was soon sobbing.

"Permission to destroy all of them?" asked the youngest brother, hand resting lightly on the hilt of his double katana.

"Well, if you did that, I'd have no one to manipulate into doing my dirty work," replied Emeline with a smirk. Smiling winsomely, she feigned thinking about it. "But, I _guess_ it'd be okay to mutilate them a little. Or a lot." As if coming to a decision, she smacked her hands together delightedly. "Okay, that settles it! Permission to mutilate them granted, Kadaj."

"Perfect," he grinned, turning and leaving the gleaming white room, his brothers behind him. "Time to make war."

* * *

"So, you two were assigned to this garbage heap also?" asked Exeamine in exasperation as she stepped out of the portal, looking in distaste over at the two Organization members who were already there. Kensuke turned and gave her a sly fox smile while Roxtarit continued to face his mask towards the surging armies of Heartless and Nobodies that were assaulting the paper palace. 

"Seems to be so, _ojou-chan_," replied Kensuke with a grin. "Isn't that wonderful?"

"I swear, call me a little lady one more time and I will rip you open with my bare hands," growled the blonde as her two companions stepped out of their own portals behind her. "So is it just us five, or is the Superior sending anyone else to this _wonderful_ gathering?" she spat vehemently.

"Twenty-one," murmured Roxtarit hollowly from where he stood at the cliff's edge overlooking the armies.

"I think it's just us," answered Maieri, running a hand through her long blue hair as Fuuen nodded her agreement beside her.

"Fifty-seven," intoned the red-haired pyromancer in a bored voice.

"What's he counting?' asked Fuuen curiously.

"Casualties," replied Kensuke flippantly as Roxtarit's numbers climbed higher.

"Ooh, how many have we lost so far?" questioned Exeamine delightedly, eyes lighting up with sadistic glee.

"One hundred and forty-eight," murmured the Burning Enigma.

"That's not so many," said Exeamine in disappointment. "Just one-forty-eight?"

"One hundred and seventy-three," continued the masked Organization member.

"Ooh, it's getting up there fast," she said excitedly.

"One hundred and twelve," was Roxtarit's next figure.

"What?" shouted the irate IX. "Casualties don't go down! People, that is, Heartless and Nobodies, get _dead_, not _un-dead_!"

"He's not counting the total casualties," explained Kensuke easily. "He's counting how many they take out with each swing."

"What?" the Lovely Reaper demanded, quickly looking where he was pointing. They were far away, but even from their high up perch, they could see the havoc being wreaked on their front ranks. "How many of them?"

"Three of them," replied Maieri, squinting at the fighting warriors in the distance.

"Two hundred and three," droned Roxtarit. Then he added, "Seventy-five."

"We'll run out of warriors! How can they be so strong?" worried a flustered Fuuen, looking around for an answer from her other companions.

"First of all, the Heartless are nearly innumerable, and the Nobodies almost as so," reasoned Maieri calmly. "And secondly…"

"Secondly, I can kill that many Heartless with ease," grinned Exeamine viciously. Lifting her arm, her grin widened as a petal fell and formed into her long, pink scythe. "If they want a fight, then let's give them one!"

* * *

"These enemies are pathetic," hissed Yazoo, slicing his bladed gun through a group of Heartless before blasting a berserker Nobody in the face, destroying it immediately. 

Loz only nodded, as he watched the dancer weave its way around him before annihilating it with one well-aimed punch. Kadaj stood behind them with a bored look on his face, occasionally killing a Heartless or Nobody that got past his brothers with an absent flick of the wrist, smashing them with his bare hands, not even bothering to draw his weapon yet.

"Maybe you'll find us more amusing, _ne_?" interrupted a voice as five dark portals burst open in front of the silver haired trio. Stepping forwards, the smiley blonde waved a gloved hand at them. "Hello."

"Are these the Organization XIII punks?" growled Loz, smacking his fists together menacingly.

"These are the men coming to take big brother indeed," said Kadaj, grinning as he stepped forwards to meet them. "Take both big brothers all away."

"Are you crying again?" asked Yazoo in response to a sniffling noise from the largest brother. Loz shook his head vehemently, mumbling about something in his eye.

"Well, five of us to three of them," observed Maieri dryly. "Who's the lucky person to go one on one?"

"Me!" shouted Exeamine, stepping forwards as Fuuen moved to the back of their group, though not too close to the surrounding Heartless and Nobodies. However, much to the Reaper's dismay, Roxtarit also raised a hand for the challenge.

"_Jan-ken-pon_," asserted Kensuke firmly. At Exeamin's blank look, he explained, "Rock-paper-scissors." Understanding dawning, the blonde turned to the masked number VIII and shook a fist at him. Roxtarit responded in kind, and on the count of three swung down.

"Paper beats rock!" shouted Exeamine triumphantly.

"But he did scissors," pointed out Kensuke. Looking down, she saw he was right.

"But, but…I saw it was…" she sputtered. "You cheated!"

"You can't cheat rock-paper-scissors," said Maieri reasonably. "Fuuen and I will take the gunslinger."

"Guess that leaves you and me," said Kensuke, smiling slyly at a thoroughly miffed Exeamine. "We'll take the big one."

"Seems I get to face you, winner," said Kadaj in an amused voice, looking towards the masked warrior. Roxtarit merely shrugged. "Yazoo, go that way. Loz, go the other way. I want room for my fight."

Nodding, the two brothers went their separate ways, and their assigned Organization members followed, though not before Roxtarit added something.

"You were right."

"What?" asked Exeamine, but then Kensuke grabbed her roughly by one sleeve and pulled her along as he made the long-distance leap to where Loz had landed.

* * *

"What did he mean, 'You were right'?" demanded Exeamine irately, turning on Kensuke and ignoring their opponent for the moment. 

"He means, you were right, he did cheat," replied Kensuke flippantly.

"I knew it!" exploded the feisty blonde. "I'll kill him!"

"We still have the big guy to deal with," reminded the fox-faced man gently. "Look out."

This said he ducked under a quick fist that came flying between the two black cloaked members.

"All done?" asked Loz, looking from one of them to another slowly.

"Sure," chirped Kensuke happily. That said, he jumped back to where Exeamine had retreated to and drew his sword, a long steel affair that had a blade that jutted out, down, then back in towards the handle, forming a guard on one hand. At the business end, the edge went out, then back in and back, hooking on the non-bladed side, and creating a heavy outwards angle at the end. The result was a large, almost square protrusion at the end that carried a fair heft when swung, and making it almost axe-like in nature. "Ready when you are."

With a mighty roar, Loz charged and the battle began.

* * *

"Fuuen, cover from a distance," ordered Maieri, sheathing her right hand in her icy blade. "I'll take him on toe to toe." 

"G-got it," nodded the young girl timidly, shrinking back as Yazoo leered smugly at her. The man then brought his gun to bear on her and pulled the trigger. The Whirlwind Dancer gave a shriek of fright, closing her eyes, then opening them again as shards of ice spattered across her face. The Ice Queen's arm was extended before her, a part of her sword frosting back over from where it had deflected the bullet.

"Don't touch her," hissed XII angrily. The silver haired brother just gave another sneer and shot again in a flash of ice and blood.

* * *

"So, you're here to take brother, huh?" asked Kadaj. "To ruin our reunion?"

Roxarit gave no answer, but stared at him solemnly, eyes hidden behind his fiery mask. Kadaj only laughed, his voice high and mocking as he drew his long, double-bladed katana, the two sword blades laid side by side in the hilt like twin fangs. In response, Roxtarit swung his arms out to the sides, arms extended in the crucifix position as he gathered spinning flames into his hands. Then, charging forwards, he swung one of the whirling flames at the silver haired warrior then moved in with a vicious uppercut of his other weapon under the man's block. Kadaj dodged back, his grinning face shining in the fiery light of the Burning Enigma's flames.

"I won't let you take our brothers," hissed Kadaj, and in a flash of steel he was upon him.

* * *

They snuck in carefully, though they had little need for caution as most of the focus was at the front of the paper citadel. It only took a few quick slashes of Anya's Shadow Lance to cut an entrance in through the back wall of the gleaming white palace. Coming in out of the barren wasteland that surrounded the place, the trio found the inner courtyards to be full of surprisingly well tended gardens and picturesque promenades. For all their gleaming beauty, however, there seemed to be no one present.

"This way," directed Anya, leading them in through a large double door. "Her rooms are in the central building, near the top."

"You know the witch who lives here?" asked Kairi curiously. The younger girl nodded.

"I had my suspicions when I heard the name of the world," she explained. "They were confirmed when we broke in here. Did you notice what it turned into when I cut down through the wall?"

"Paper," hissed Daxtin, knowing full well what this meant.

"This is my sister's world," said Anya with a sigh. "This is Emeline's book."

"The fighting seems to be increasing," noted Daxtin, cocking his head towards the front of the palace. "Let's hurry up and get out of here. I'd rather not encounter your sister, if that's at all possible, or any of the Organization either."

Nodding, Anya led the way, the other two teenagers following close behind.

* * *

Despite his size, Loz's specialty was speed. Blurring fast enough to leave bluish after-images when he moved, he appeared behind Kensuke, his arm raised to strike. As he squeezed the handle to his arm-mounted weapon, the two metal prongs extended forwards past his knuckles, crackling with electricity. Slamming in, his fist punched through air as V disappeared in a flash of lightning. The big man then ducked, Kensuke's unique sword slashing right above his head. Spinning quickly, Loz swung hard, hitting him hard in the stomach. The blonde fighter dodged back, minimizing the impact as Exeamine sped forwards to attack. 

"Scatter, One-thousand Cherry Blossoms!" she shouted, swinging her scythe at the large man. At her attack, hundreds of cutting petals shot out in a whirling pink storm. Loz responded with a powerful forward punch, the very force of it dispersing the attack. Charging forwards with unnatural speed, he dodged under the Nobody's counterattack and buried his fist in her torso in a blast of power and energy. On impact, her body exploded in a flurry of red. Or actually, pink.

"What?" snarled Loz, petals swirling around him in a blizzard of pink. He winced in pain as she cut into his side, then blurred away before she could attack again, reappearing a distance away. As he did, Kensuke lunged in, scorching the ground in a blast of lightning as Loz jumped away to one side.

"_Omoshiroi danaa_," murmured the Lightning Lord with a smile, bolting towards him. He attacked with a quick downwards slash, sparks flying as Loz blocked with his arm guard. He was flung back then by the muscle-bound warrior, landing lightly on his feet as Exeamine charged in, scythe slashing wildly. Loz ducked and dodged under the long, relatively slow swings, moving quickly within her range and then blocking the handle with his left and swinging in with his right. As he struck, his fist sunk in with little resistance, her form crumbling away in a shower of pink blossoms as the prongs of his weapon punched into her cloak. Grunting in pain, he stumbled and turned as a long pink slash of energy crashed into him as X took to the long range offensive. Then V was upon him again, slashing with lightning quick speed, giving the man no chance to attack without opening up his defenses. "_Rai-kiri Rendan_!"

Blade crackling with lightning, every strike resounded with the rolling thunder of a crashing storm as Kensuke lashed out in a quick series of strikes. Finishing up, he leapt up high, electricity crackling in the air around him as he slammed down in an explosion of light and sound upon the silver-haired fighter. Jumping back, the Lightning Lord then charged forwards, lashing out in a flash of lightning. Then he was past him, sword held out to one side in his finishing pose.

"_Owari_," he said with a sly smile, and the body behind him exploded in a heavenly lightning strike, the thunder rolling off it in palpable waves. Standing, he turned and looked back at the charred figure, then smiled when it shook off the ash and dust that had fused to him in the explosion. Reeking of burnt ozone, Loz tromped on towards him as Exeamine appeared at Kensuke's side.

"That… hurt," rumbled the big man. "I'll have to kill you for that."

* * *

"Wind!" cried Fuuen with a sharp swing of her fan. At her move, powerful whirlwinds tore across the battle field, moving across the dust at Yazoo. The silver-haired man braced himself and weathered the impact without harm but grunted in pain as Maieri struck him in the side with her icy blade. Dodging back, he shot at her with his guns then parried her strikes with their bladed lengths. Sliding to one side, he lunged forwards then was thrown back as she summoned a blast of icy spikes with a flick of her wrist. Giving up on her, he then angled off and charged the younger Whirlwind Dancer, guns blazing. The young girl flew out of the way, levitating on her own winds to dodge the bullets. As the man leapt up after her, he stopped as a wall of ice formed in the air before him, blocking his way. Kicking off it, he turned around to see Maieri leaping up after him, her jagged blade of ice at the ready. As she swung at him, he shot, his carefully aimed bullet shattering her weapon halfway down. Before she could repair it, he dove in and swung out at her with his bladed guns. However, before he could cut her, she was lifted away by a powerful gust of wind. Landing back on the ground, he glared up at the two black cloaked members with an irritated look.

Chanting evenly, Maieri motioned with her free hand before releasing a shower of long icy shards upon him. As she did, Fuuen added her winds, speeding the sharpened stakes to deadly speeds.

Yazoo stared fearlessly into the storm then fired back. Shooting rapidly, he blasted shard upon shard of ice into a harmless rain of water. Sneering, he spat derisively on the dusty ground as he absently shot a Heartless that had wandered into the battleground.

"Is that all you have?" he asked the two Organization members as they landed on the ground before him. His contemptuous leer turned to a gasp of pain as a long shard of ice shot out of the ground, slashing open his side as he barely dodged out of the way.

"How about this?" asked the Frost Queen smugly as she charged forwards, striking out with a slashing uppercut. Yazoo blocked with one gun then shot with his other. XII grunted in pain as the bullet bounced off a thick shield of ice, shattering it but doing minimal damager to her. Reaching out, she grabbed the front of his coat, frost spreading from the fingers of her gloves and across his chest. Snarling, he jumped up and placed his feet on her chest, kicking off and sending her flying back away from him.

Catching her friend on a cushion of air, Fuuen lashed out in a quick set of flicks of her wrist, summoning a powerful gale to attack her enemy. The shrieking wind shot forwards, tearing Yazoo off his feet and flinging him down onto the ground. Scrambling to his feet, he came up looking down the length of Maieri's icy blade.

"Give up?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not a chance," he hissed.

Ice met steel, and the air shattered around them in the flurry of gunshots.

* * *

"What's wrong? Scared?" taunted Kadaj, lashing out with his double-bladed katana. Roxtarit jumped back, easily dodging from one side to another under the warrior's quick thrusts. Then, knocking the blade out of the way with one flaming weapon, he lunged forwards, slashing at the young man's face with his other hand. Kadaj leaned back, ducking under the burning swipe and kicking out with his leg. The Burning Enigma dodged back, avoiding the simple leg-swipe, but still gave Kadaj the time to recover his balance and retake the offensive. 

Speeding forwards, he lashed out with his blade in lightning quick strikes as VIII dodged back out of the way. The black cloaked man countered with a few parrying strikes, then jumped back, gaining distance between the two of them. Then throwing his arms apart in his burning crucifix pose, he summoned a burning wall of fire that slowly crawled forwards across the dusty ground, sweeping up unfortunate Heartless and driving the silver-haired fighter back. Kadaj grinned at the challenge, then crouching down, shot forwards through the flames, the fires barely touching him as he rushed through. Lunging in a powerful strike, he struck out with his sword quickly, his blade coming within inches of piercing Roxtarit's black cloak as the rangy man dodged back. Roxtarit then threw one of his spinning flames, appearing behind Kadaj to catch it again and slash at the young man's unprotected back. The silver-haired man spun quickly about, barely blocking the flames with his katana. The air between them flashed briefly before exploding in a fury of fire and power. Kadaj flew back in the blast, landing hard on his back in the packed dirt. Jumping to his feet, he slashed a few Heartless that had strayed close and barely dodged Roxtarit's next attack, the flames leaving his pale cheek red and painful in its wake. Jumping back, Kadaj rubbed at his mild burn with a gloved hand as he stared steadily at his masked opponent.

"First blood," he hissed. "But not as important as last blood."

"You talk too much," said Roxtarit simply before resuming his burning assault.

* * *

"They're being beaten?" asked Emeline of the armored warrior standing before her. The clinking figure nodded. Irately, she lashed out an arm, ribbons of paper shooting out from her sleeve and shredding the warrior, who fell apart into shreds of paper. Hissing, she got up out of her chair and wandered over to one wall of her room, where dozens of pictures hung. Stopping before the second to last one, she gazed at the picture depicting the One Winged Angel. Touching it softly, she smiled as the figure seemed to shift, though it may have been but a trick of the light. "Time to put you to use, my captive." 

Chanting lowly, the picture began to glow and glowing red runes spread out from it across the white walls, bathing it in a bloody light.

"Begin… the Jenova effect."

* * *

Exeamine lashed out with a powerful scything slash, sending Loz flying and crashing into a crag of rocks that crumbled down on top of him. 

"Hah, that'll show him. Now, let's go take down this castle," she said with a grin. However, she paused and looked about with Kensuke as a strange jingling tune rang through the air. It sounded like a victory cry. There was a moment of silence, then it repeated again. Looking about, the two black cloaked fighters jumped in surprise as the rocks shifted and Loz stood up among the rubble. As the tune chimed on the third time, he flicked out a small black cell phone and flipped it open with a flick of his wrist. Ignoring his opponents, he brought it up to his face and spoke.

"Yes?" he asked shortly. He paused, and then yelled. "No, I'm not crying! What? Will she really? Right." That said, he clicked it shut and put the cell phone back into his pocket. Turning back to Exeamine and Kensuke, he murmured in a satisfied tone of voice, "Well now, things get interesting.

* * *

"I bet he was crying," murmured Yazoo to himself, stowing his cell phone back in his pocket. As he did, he dodged to one side, easily ducking under Maieri's sword and jumping out of the way of Fuuen's wind blade. Already he could feel the effects. He was stronger, faster, better. "Just like big brother."

* * *

Kadaj and Roxtarit looked up into the sky, watching as three burning tendrils of blue-green light shot out of the palace, flying over the walls and splitting to go in different directions. One of them was coming here. 

"Come to me," whispered Kadaj reverently, "brother."

Tired of waiting, Roxtarit lashed forwards, taking advantage of the opening provided by Kadaj's rapture. As he struck, so did the strange light. And in that moment Kadaj was no more.

"Is this… a worthy opponent?" hissed the silver haired warrior, gazing coldly across their blades at the mask of his opponent. "Or just… trash?"

Knocking him away with a flick of his seven-foot blade, Sephiroth smiled at the Burning Enigma with a killer's grin.

"Either way… I will kill you," he said. Behind him, one graceful black wing spread behind him. The One Winged Angel had returned.


	20. One Winged Angel

Violence: Oh, yeah. Fighting of the awesome. And character deaths. The first of many. YAAAAAY. Long chapter, full of violence and death. Everything you guys like. With three times the Sephy power. Rar.  
Also, Index of Kensuke's Japanese:  
_ Yare, yare_: Aw, jeez.  
_ Oi, omae_: Hey, you.  
_ Ojou-chan_: young lady (cutesy, diminutive)  
_ Rai-Kiri Rendan_: Lightning Cutter Combo  
_ Ja ne_: See ya.

* * *

Chapter 19: One Winged Angel

* * *

Exeamine stared in disbelief. Where the large, bulky form of Loz had stood was another man entirely. As the light faded, it revealed the slim, muscular form of a silver-haired warrior carrying a long, seven-foot katana that only one person in all of history had every wielded. 

"The Angel of the Abyss," she gasped, frozen with shock as he locked his blue-green eyes on her, their slit pupils narrowing.

"No," he murmured coldly, brushing back some of his long silver locks with one gloved hand. "I am Sephiroth, the One Winged Angel." Behind him, a single black wing spread upwards, as if reaching for the heavens. "Now…witness the power of a heartless angel."

For a moment, the sky flashed black, and then he was behind her. A second later, the sounds of clashing blades rang out all around her, the ringing tone of steel on steel as Kensuke blurred into view beside her.

"Fast," noted Sephiroth calmly, turning to look at the man who had thwarted his attacks.

"Not quite fast enough," said Kensuke, smiling ruefully. A long red cut across his cheek pulsed and then bled down his face. Looking over at Exeamine, he murmured, "Even without his other half, he's incredibly powerful. It's time to go all out if we want to come out of this alive, got it?"

"Don't have to tell me twice," hissed the shaken girl. Gripping her scythe tighter, she prepared for the toughest fight she'd ever had, a fight against a legendary opponent.

"Right. Then let's do this," said V with a nervous grin. Disappearing in a flash of lightning, he reappeared behind Sephiroth, sword already swinging. With inhuman speed, the fallen angel blocked with his sword, their blades sparking with electricity as they met, but Kensuke was already gone by then, in front of him, swinging once mroe. As he swung, the silver haired slayer disappeared in a sudden flash of darkness, reappearing behind his attacker, long blade flying in a wide arc. Steel cut through lightning, and then V was above him, swinging down again. Sephiroth blurred out of sight again, but when Kensuke blocked behind him, his blade met no resistance. Too late, he turned to see the One Winged Angel appear behind his partner, and watched as the Masamune blade cut right through Exeamine, severing torso from waist. Bloodlust was written clearly across Sephiroth's face as his eyes glittered with sadistic glee at the body being torn up before him. But then it was gone, and the black cloak fluttered away in a cloud of cherry blossoms, nothing more. Turning, he blocked just in time to deflect Exeamine's attack, then lightning quick, counterattacked. The Lovely Reaper cried out in pain as the blade slashed open her arm, then lashed out, the steel flashing around her scythe, tearing open long, bloody slashes across her body, then finally lunging in, piercing through her chest, the blade coming clean out through the other side. He grinned, leaning forwards to whisper a last word in her ears as she died, but his breath died on his lips as he saw his long, silver blade had gone all the way through her, yet come out clean, free of blood. Snarling, he looked around to find her as the body he held impaled on his sword crumbled into thousands of fluttering blossoms.

"You'll have… to do better than that," panted the blonde, wincing in pain as her wounded arm throbbed. She had escaped relatively unharmed, but already, blood was trailing in crimson ribbons down her right arm, making the haft of her scythe slick with it. As Sephiroth glared at her, Kensuke appeared in a clap of thunder behind him, lashing out with his long, heavy sword. The angel blocked with one deft movement, his blade sliding across the blackened length of the Lightning Lord's sword, nimbly pushing it aside then lunging in. Kensuke grunted in pain as he dodged a moment too late, his lightning tinged with blood as Sephiroth's sword cut into his shoulder. Disappearing, he flashed into existence to the angel's right, jumping back from the silver-haired warrior's counter strike, then lashing out with his free hand, bolts of electricity shooting out of the sleeve of his black cloak. Sephiroth grunted in pain as the lightning struck, and then dove forwards, long katana lashing out like a striking snake. Kensuke prepared to block but watched in surprise as Sephiroth disappeared in a flash of darkness.

"Exeamine, watch out!" he shouted. The girl only had a second to react before Sephiroth was before her, blade lashing out. He pierced her, and she disappeared in flurry of blossoms. As the petals surrounded him, they blew into a furious pink blizzard, flying faster and faster. Looking about in the storm of pink, Sephiroth winced in pain as a single petal, razor sharp slashed across his cheek, leaving a thin red line of blood.

"No blade can outrace mine," he hissed angrily. "Not even one thousand cherry blossoms." In a flash of light, his blade went from steel to a blur of power and fury. Around him, petals fell, cut in two by the prowess of his blade. In one final slash, he unleashed the power of his aura, blowing away the deadly storm and all that it hid.

Exeamine cried out in surprise as her cover was blown away and the bloodthirsty eyes of the One Winged Angel locked onto her. He lunged forwards, lashing out with his sword, but he was already turning by the time the tip of his blade dispersed the flower clone, and spotting her the moment she reappeared, he thrust forwards with his seven foot blade. He smiled as X cried out in pain, his blade stabbing into her shoulder, just below her collar bone as she slammed into the ground, the steel of his sword pinning her down. Twisting his sword in her spurting, bloody wound, he smiled sadistically down at her.

"Now… die."

* * *

Maieri calmly dodged back as her wall of ice was neatly sliced into pieces before the fury of the One Winged Angel that was once Yazoo. Lifting her hand, long spikes of ice shot out of the ground at him, piercing the air where he had been moments before as he teleported out of the way. As he appeared behind her, his blade lashed out, cutting into a hastily erected barrier of ice. Shattered chips of frost flew this way and that as the shield broke under the steel of his blade. 

"Fuuen, now!" she said in a commanding tone of voice, dodging to one side away from Sephiroth's onslaught. At that moment, the young Whirlwind Dancer came in, her fan a blur of movement as she whipped up winds into a powerful gale. The squall tore at his hair and wing, black feathers scattering in the storm. As the angel guarded from this attack, Maieri appeared behind him.

"Freeze," she murmured quietly, frost coming off her breath as she spoke the word. A thin layer of ice settled over Sephiroth's body, his hair crackling in the cold as his breath became short puffs of steam in the rapidly dropping temperature. The air shimmered, and then ice shot up from the ground around him, encasing him in a solid block. "Escape that," she said in a challenging tone of voice.

The captive figure flashed brightly for a moment, and then the icy prison shattered like glass around him. Grinning viciously, he turned to face his would-be captor.

"You spoke too soon," pouted Fuuen from the other side of him. Maieri shook her head in disappointment, then leapt back, parrying Sephiroth's attack with her icy blade. Blocking a few attacks, she quickly retreated out of his considerable range. Then, using her free hand, she went through the motions of her next spell as she chanted evenly. Finishing her incantation, she knelt down and slammed her gloved hand on the ground. Immediately, large, jagged crystals of ice shot up all around, separating the combatants from each other. Glaring, Sephiroth stared at the reflected images of himself and his opponents. With a snarl, he lashed out at Maieri, only to find that it was an image displayed on a facet of the ice that shattered at his sword's touch.

"Where are you?" he roared angrily, leveling several off the nearby pillars of ice with one fell swoop of his blade. This only multiplied the images around him, and Maieri's slow, soft laugh echoed all about him.

"I'm right here," she said from behind him. The One Winged Angel grunted in pain as her jagged blade of ice cut across his shoulder from behind. Turning, he counterattacked with his sword as she leapt back, only to cleave an icy image in two. "Over here."

As he turned to the sound of her voice, he watched as she walked past, the images refracting her course as she moved around him. He dodged to one side as a shard of ice shot by from behind, and turned, blocking the next frigid projectile. Then she was beside him, lashing out with her icy blade. He parried, blocking with ease then lashing out to slice her open. As he did, she jumped back into the ice, which shattered at the touch of his blade, yet XII was no where to be seen.

"You… you move within the ice," he hissed angrily, looking about, trying to decide which reflection was really her.

"I do," she admitted simply, showering him in a deadly hail of ice. His blade became a blur of steel as he expertly deflected the shards.

"If your quarry goes to ground," quoted Sephiroth, "then leave no ground to go to." Gathering his aura, he unleashed his power in a single, destructive slash, shattering the ice around him in a spray of glassy shards. Releasing a second shockwave, he blew away all remnants of the icy mirrors that the Frost Queen had created, returning the battlefield to a dusty barren wasteland edged by Heartless and Nobodies fighting armored warriors made of paper. Off to one side stood the demure Fuuen, but Sephiroth's attention was on his revealed quarry, Maieri. Lunging forwards, his blade shot right through her hastily raised sword of ice, stabbing deep into her chest. His grin widened in sadistic glee as she coughed blood in a thick red mist that painted his face crimson as they fell together to the ground, his blade impaling her to the spot.

"You bleed blood," he said with amusement. "So your veins aren't filled with ice." Then in one swift movement, he removed his blade, cutting straight out her side and severing her arm in a bright sanguine spray.

* * *

"Is that all you have, fire man?" taunted the One Winged Angel, easily deflecting a fireball from his opponent. Lunging forwards, he attacked in a flurry of lightning-quick strikes as Roxtarit dodged back, blocking the questing tip of his blade with his burning weapons. Moving in, he thrust his sword in close, piercing the air as the Burning Enigma teleported out of the way and reappeared behind him. 

"Burn," murmured VIII as flames spun anew at his outstretched hand. Moving in a flurry of fire and smoke, the black cloaked man danced around his opponent in quick teleporting spurts, each movement leaving after images identical to the real Roxtarit. Hands afire, the eight Burning Enigmas surrounding Sephiroth crouched, then leapt in, arms moving in a blur of fury and fire.

Sephiroth's blade became a flash of steel as it moved around him faster than the eye could follow, dispatching the attackers one by one. Finally, seven down, he regarded the last one and lunged forwards, his blade impaling him clean through.

"Now I've got you," he said with a vicious grin.

"Who said I was even attacking you?" echoed the masked voice of the Burning Enigma from above. As the body impaled disintegrated in smoke and flame, Roxtarit dropped in from above, wreathed in flaring fires as he crashed down like a burning meteor. The battleground exploded on impact as he came down, setting the ground aflame. As Sephiroth dodged back from where he had landed, the dirt and rocks charred black beneath him, then cracked open with a fiery red glow that raced below him to engulf the surrounding area. Reaching the extent of its range, the underground flames shot up in an encircling wall of fire that surrounded the two combatants, springing high into the air.

"You think this will keep me confined?" asked Sephiroth, eying his fiery prison. Spreading his single wing, he hovered easily over the molten ground and levitated upwards as his eyes scanned his surroundings for his enemy, who had disappeared in the explosion of fire and lava.

"It will if you have no wing," responded the mocking voice of VIII from behind him. Flying out of the flames that walled them in, the Burning Enigma knocked away his hastily raised guard with one hand then lunged in with his other, the flaming weapon coming dangerously close to the killer's face as Sephiroth dodged back. Then with a snap of his fingers, Roxtarit caused an explosion of fire behind the One Winged Angel, setting the warrior's namesake afire. Cursing lowly, Sephiroth flew back away from his opponent, wing flapping wildly against his body in an attempt to but the fires out as his masked enemy laughed maniacally at the sight. Finally getting fed up with it, the angel gathered his aura, then shot downwards, plunging his sword into the ground in a fury of shockwaves and power, blowing out the fires on his wing and that of the ground and surrounding area. Looking up with a gaze smoldering with hatred, Sephiroth eyed his opponent angrily from the still smoking ground. Roxtarit tilted his head playfully, then said, "Smells like cooked chicken."

Roaring in anger, pillars of fire shot up around the One Winged Angel, engulfing nearby Heartless and Nobodies, including the black cloaked number VIII. As these fires faded, Roxtarit emerged unscathed, and more talkative than usual.

"Fire? You're using fire, against _me_? I'm the Burning Enigma, you fool!" he cackled loudly. Twisting his neck to work out a few kinks, he threw his arms out to his sides, summoning back his flaming weapons. "Not that I don't appreciate your skill. You're the best fight I've had in a long time! But you'll have to do better than that, got it? I want you to come at me with everything you got."

"Be careful what you wish for," hissed Sephiroth angrily, blue-green eyes blazing with hatred. The sky flashed dark, and then he was before him, blade at the Nobody's throat. "You might just get it, mortal."

* * *

"Well, that's new," murmured Anya mildly, eying the towering figure before them. The large armored soldier was dressed in ornate armor fit for its six arms, each of which wielded one of six jagged swords, their hilts exquisitely inlaid with gold and silver. Looming a full five feet above their heads, it was an impressive foe that stood between them and Emeline's chambers. 

"Doesn't look too tough," bluffed Daxtin, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands. "You guys can sit this one out, I need the exercise."

"Yeah right," laughed Kairi, stepping up beside him. "You're not fooling anyone."

"You two done flirting, or do I have do the fighting myself?" asked Anya tiredly. She smirked as this comment immediately shut them up. "Let's get this done with."

* * *

Sephiroth's victory over the Frost Queen was short lived as hurricane force winds suddenly knocked him back, buffeting him wildly into the air. Finally regaining control of his wild flight, he spotted the source of the outburst. 

"I won't let you take her away," cried Fuuen, standing protectively over the wounded form of Maieri. Tears running down her face, the usually reserved young girl glared up at him with a determined gaze. "I don't want to be alone ever again."

With a shout, she launched up into the air after him, the loose sleeves of her black cloak flapping in the wind behind her. Moving in the air as easily as a fish in the sea, she dodged fluidly around his blade, her fan and long sleeves dazzling the eye and making it hard to spot her exact position as his blade cut cloth, air, and nothing else. The One Winged Angel snarled in rage as a blade of wind cut a long bloody gash across one side of his face, his blood mixing with that already spattered across his cruel visage. Then she was behind him, and the very air that held him aloft threw him back down, slamming hard into the ground. Scrambling to his feet, he looked up as she gathered the winds about him, the air funneling into a tornado cone around her, spinning faster and faster until he could no longer see her among the whirling mass.

The cone lowered until it touched down on top of him, sucking Sephiroth into its stormy fury. All around him as he tried to keep his bearings, dirt and debris flew about in the air, obscuring his view. As he continued to be thrown about, his anger and frustration with the storm intensified. Finally snapping, he gathered his aura, then released it in one powerful blast. Around him, the forming clouds and winds dispersed as he was surrounded by a pocket of calm that slowly expanded until all evidence that the storm had ever existed was gone. Fuuen remained floating in her own bubble of wind, fan raised and ready.

"No storm can withstand my power," asserted Sephiroth, charging up at her, sword raised. As he lashed out, his weapon bounced off of a wall of air, and then he was on the defensive, sword a flashing barrier against the invisible blades of wind that came from the diminutive Organization member.

Taking the chance to gain some distance, Fuuen flew higher into the air, concentrating her power into the small fan she held. As the winds blocking Sephiroth faded, she threw the fan at the approaching angel. As soon as it left her hand, the paper fan became a blurred disc with a cutting edge, spinning faster than the eye could follow. The One Winged Angel hissed in surprise as the fan knocked into his sword, throwing him off balance in the air. Quickly turning to keep his eye on the fast moving projectile, he grunted in pain as the spinning disk whirred past his guard and cut a long gash across his upper arm. Blade flashing in an only half-successful attempt to ward off the attacks, he fell lower and lower in sky, more and more bloody cuts opening across his body as his eyes and blade flicked this way and that. Finally low above the ground, Fuuen above him conducting her remotely controlled weapon, his eyes finally narrowed as they adjusted to the motion of the whirling projectile.

"There," he hissed, hand snapping out in the air. Fast as a striking snake, his gloved hand snatched the fan out of the air in one easy movement, crushing the paper implement in his grip. Fuuen cried out in pain, as if it were her own body being crushed between his fingers. The winds around her died, and she fell out of the sky like a very timid, very vulnerable young girl who had been dropped from a great height. She hit the ground in a cloud of dust and a mist of blood. Sephiroth walked over, a sadistic grin plastered across his bloodied face as he approached her prone form. "So much for you, little dancer," he crooned softly as he stood over her. Grinning viciously, he raised his sword to strike, and then brought it down to finish her off.

Darkness flashed before him as the shadows erupted in an explosion of ebony black ice between him and the girl. As he dodged back, a black cloaked figure with only one arm formed in the ice, which shattered to reveal the Frost Queen, eyes full of frigid rage.

"I said, don't touch her," she snarled angrily, darkness and frost flowing out of her wounds and the stump that was all that was left of her sword arm.

"A Heartless," murmured Sephiroth in surprise. "So, crippling you and expecting you to bleed to death quietly isn't good enough." Jumping back farther as a tendril of darkness with icy claws lashed out at him, he slowly circled the pair as he considered how to best eliminate this new threat.

"Maieri," gasped Fuuen weakly as her companion picked her up in her remaining arm, pulling her close in a protective embrace. "I'm sorry… I wanted to save you… but I couldn't…"

"Shhh," murmured XII soothingly. "It'll be okay."

"Really?" asked the young girl softly. For a long time, neither one said anything. "I see." Sobbing softly, she clung to her friend's coat tightly. "I don't want to disappear… I don't want to fade… into the darkness."

"…we'll go together," whispered the Frost Queen softly, the tendrils of darkness that now made up her arm already forming into the arcane symbols for what would be her final spell. One by one, the mystic ruins began to glow in a soft blue light.

"Right… together," murmured Fuuen, closing her eyes and burying her face in the soft black material of Maieri's cloak. A little ways away from them, Sephiroth finished his countermeasures for the Heartless's defenses. It was too late however.

"Goddess of Death… Shiva," chanted Maieri, finishing the spell. Darkness surrounded them. And then, ice.

* * *

Exeamine looked up in shock with the other two fighters as the field nearby exploded in a giant crystal of black ice, knocking all of them off their feet. 

"What was that?" demanded Kensuke, scrambling to his feet. Before he could ask anything else, he was forced to dodge back as Sephiroth recovered from the surprise and turned his assault on him. Parrying for all his worth, he yelled over at the stunned Nobody, who had yet to move, other than to stand up and stare with a stunned look off in the distance. "Exeamine, snap out of it!"

"I can't feel them," she whispered softly. Her expression was a mix of shock and timidity that looked utterly out of place on the face of Organization XIII's Lovely Reaper. "I can't… feel them."

"Look out!" warned V loudly as the One Winged Angel broke off his attack on the young man to go after the stunned girl. Blade drawn, wing extended, he lashed out in a wide horizontal slash to decapitate her in one fell swoop. "Exeamine!"

The sword stopped, halted a hair's breadth from her delicate, exposed neck. The blade was held tightly between two gloved fingers. Exeamine, still holding the blade, slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder at her assailant. They were the eyes of an avenger.

"They're dead," she said quietly. And with a flick of her wrist, she snapped off the end of his sword.

There was an explosion of power, and Sephiroth and Kensuke both went flying back, knocked off their feet by the sheer force of her aura. When they looked again, she was turning around, her scythe disintegrated into the pink cherry blossoms that now swirled around her in the eddies and currents of the black smoke that came off her body. Her blonde hair floated gently in the energy-dense air, as did her cloak. And her eyes were hard and filled with rage.

And then she smiled.

In a flash she was behind him, and before he could react she had grabbed his arms in an inhumanly strong grip and kicked out his legs from under him. Lifting her leg, she planted one foot and his back and pressed down, forcing the once proud warrior to kneel before her rage. Grinning with a crazed smile, she only laughed maniacally at his grunts of pain and discomfort as she pulled his arms farther and farther back. His sword made a soft thud against the dusty ground as it dropped from his twitching fingers.

"Come on, cry for me!" Exeamine yelled, cackling psychotically. "Let me see an angel's tears!" Sephiroth gave a scream of pure agony as she leaned back in a sudden jerk, his arms breaking in the sickening snap of bone and tissue. Letting go of the limp and broken limbs, X planted her knee into his back and rode his face into the ground, her crazed grin widening as her eyes settled on his single, beautiful black wing. Ignoring his shrill cries for mercy, she methodically broke, and then broke again, each and every bone in his wing before slowly tearing through the muscle that attached it to his body with her gloved hands. With one final snapping jerk, she pulled the black feathered appendage off, throwing it away in a mess of blood and feathers as Sephiroth jerked spasmodically beneath her. Stepping off him, she looked down at him with a vicious, satisfied smile, licking the blood spattered on her lips with a quick darting tongue and shivering ecstatically. Giggling insanely, she bent down over the shaking form of the fallen angel and brought her gore-spattered face close to his ear, whispering softly. "I can't feel them. They're dead. They've… faded into the darkness." Smiling softly, she pressed her lips against his cheek in a gentle, final kiss. "Let's go see them."

Then in one wrenching movement, she snapped his neck.

"Exeamine…" breathed Kensuke in a mix of fear and awe. "That was… was…" He paused, searching for a word to describe the act of insanity that he had just witnessed. Then looking at her closely, he exclaimed, "You're fading!"

Exeamine looked over at him, her eyes glazed over in a strange calm as darkness rolled off her in smoky waves, carrying little pink cherry blossom petals with them. She smiled serenely at him, her eyes almost gentle now as he walked over.

"Yeah," she murmured softly. "That's what happens when you put your whole self into an attack like that, you know?" She laughed quietly, no longer the maniacal laugh of a psychotic avenger, but the soft laugh of someone about to die. "They're gone now. And soon, I'll be gone too."

"Then… I guess this is goodbye, Exeamine," said Kensuke, his usual smile gone.

"Yeah. I guess it is, Kensuke," she replied. "If that's your _real_ name."

"It's not," replied V with a shrug.

"Heh…didn't think so," said X with a weak laugh as she became insubstantial. "Well then… see you on the other side."

A final swirl of the dark mists and all that was left of the Lovely Reaper was smoke filled with tiny pink petals.

"Yeah," murmured the Lightning Lord. "_Ja ne_."

* * *

Not long after their fight with the guards, the trio opened the heavy ornate doors leading into Emeline's rooms. The interior was the same pristine white of the rest of the castle, decorated with intricate carvings and gold inlays. In one corner was a four poster bed, and across the way was a white dresser with vanity mirror. Directly beneath the tall dome ceiling was a small round table with a couple of matching white chairs nearby. No one seemed to be present. 

"This doesn't really seem the place she'd keep prisoners," murmured Daxtin doubtfully, looking around at the ornate furnishings.

"She keeps them over there," explained Anya, pointing over to one wall. Looking where she indicated, they saw a number of drawings on sheets of paper pinned up. Walking over, they examined a number of them.

"Here, over here," exclaimed Kairi excitedly. Crowding around her, the other two looked at the pictures she had found. One depicted a silver-haired warrior in tight black leather bearing a long, thing katana. The other showed a spiky blonde in a flowing black coat with only one sleeve, his bared arm holding a giant thick sword wrapped in tight in off-white ribbons. The first was labeled _Sephiroth_. The second was labeled _Cloud_.

"I only see one wing," pointed out Daxtin.

"That's because it seems Emeline separated him back into the One Winged Angel and Cloud," reasoned Kairi. "I guess even she couldn't keep the Angel of the Abyss imprisoned indefinitely."

"Okay, so we free Sephiroth and then run away in horror as he slays us like the poor, non-god-like beings we are?" asked Daxtin sarcastically. "Yup, this is a great mission."

"That's why we free Cloud first," countered Kairi. "He's a legendary warrior of light, the only one to ever oppose Sephiroth. He'll be good protection." That said, she turned and looked to the warrior's picture. Then asked, "Um, so how do we do this?"

"Pen, pen," murmured Anya, looking about. Eyes brightening, she summoned the Shadow Lance. "Or darkness incarnate."

Raising her hand, the spar of darkness shrunk down to a manageable size. Moving forwards, she wrote the word "release" on the drawing with inky black darkness. There was a flash of light, and then he was standing before them, large as life.

"Hey, so you're Cloud, huh?" said Daxtin in an awed tone of voice as he looked at the legendary warrior before him. "What's it like to be a hero?"

"I'm no hero," murmured the man quietly. Turning, he took in his surroundings, large sword balanced on one shoulder with ease. "Where am I? Where's Sephiroth?"

"You're in the Paper Palace of the Witch Emeline," Kairi informed him. "As for Sephiroth…" Pointing, she directed his attention to the picture on the wall. "We're about to release him, then get the heck out of here. What're your plans, now that you're free?"

"I have to destroy him and atone for my sins," said Cloud quietly.

"Your sins?" asked Anya curiously.

"Sephiroth… is my darkness. And everything he did as the Angel of the Abyss," he explained, "I did as well. Every person he killed, I killed. Every world he destroyed, I destroyed. Thousands of innocent lives died at his hands. At _my_ hands. Destroyer of Worlds. Angel of the Abyss. These aren't just his titles. These are _our_ titles."

* * *

"Looks like… you're the only one left," panted Roxtarit behind his mask, barely standing with his many bleeding wounds. "How 'bout we call it a tie, huh?" 

"I don't share victory," snarled Sephiroth. Charging forwards, he easily deflected the Burning Enigma's fireballs and lunged in swinging. The Nobody dodged back, but not quickly enough to avoid the extreme length of his blade. He winced as the tip slice into his shoulder, angling up towards his neck. Bringing up one hand in a futile attempt to stop the blade, number VIII could only watch as the blade came to sever his head.

There was a flash of light, and all he felt was air.

His mask hid his surprise as he stared at the restored Kadaj, though the surprise was clear on the silver-haired brother's face. The Jenova effect had ended.

* * *

"Hello, Cloud," he murmured, black wing spreading behind him. "Prepared to accept your darkness?" 

"Never," hissed the blonde warrior, "Sephiroth."


	21. The Truth

Shorty: Yeah, didn't have much ispiration about this chapter. Or the next one. But the next chapter will have links to Pictures for the characters and stuff. Over the weekend, I also got a whole lot of stuff sorted out in my head about the full story of Kingdom Hearts: Memorandum. This is Book One, Memories of Nobody. The other two are The Forgotten Castle and Sin of Remembrance. Finally, Lady Hitokiri, a long standing reader of mine, asked for a pronunciation guide to the outlandish names I come up with. Here it is.

Daxtin: Dax-tin  
Anya: Ahn-yah  
Emeline: Em-eh-lee-n  
Kir: Kee-r  
Kentaro: Ken-tah-row  
Okina: Oh-kee-nah  
Xatheron: Zah-theh-rohn  
Xencarrse: Zen-car-seh  
Kyara: Kee-ar-ah  
Darian: Dar-ee-an  
Kensuke: Ken-sue-keh  
Lexyni: Lex-ee-nee  
Rann: Rah-nn  
Roxtarit: Rox-tar-eet  
Maxinaeus: Max-ih-nay-us  
Exeamine: Ex-eh-ah-mee-n  
Fuuen: Foo-en  
Maieri: My-err-ee  
Diant: Dee-ahnt

* * *

Chapter 20: The Truth

* * *

"Man, oh, man," murmured the masked Nobody, looking towards the castle. "Storm's brewing. We should get out of here, before it gets us all." Lapsing into silence, the Burning Enigma stared back at the castle and the powerful auras it contained, ignoring the charred corpse behind him that held one hand desperately clawing towards the sky, the other still clutching a double-bladed katana.

* * *

"I've walked a long, dark, and bloody path with you, Sephiroth," murmured Cloud, holding his buster sword up between him and the fallen angel. 

"Then why don't you just accept your darkness already?" suggested the One Winged Angel. "Come to me, and we shall be the Angel of the Abyss once again!" he exulted, wing raising high in towards the ceiling.

The air between the two warriors crackled with lightning from their clashing auras. Daxtin found it hard to breathe, the pressure building up so much in the room. Beside him, Kairi was clutching her head between her hands, wanting to back away, but frozen in place. Anya however, seemed calm, distant, as if the clash before her was miles away. However, none of this mattered to the two fighters staring each other down. For them, they were the only ones who existed.

"Even after five hundred years, you still deny your darkness?" asked Sephiroth, a vicious smile across his face. "There are no lights left to protect you now."

"I am my own light," the blonde assured him. "No more words; speak with your sword!"

In a flash they came together, blade upon blade as they fought in a blur of steel and motion. It soon became clear that the spacious, but relatively small room of Exeamine could not contain powers of this magnitude, as furniture and walls split and shattered under the stress of just being in their presence. Kairi cowered in a corner, on the verge of tears as she gasped for breath, clutching her head in pain as Daxtin hovered protectively over her, though he was barely able to stand, and on the verge of collapsing. Not far from them, Anya still stood stunned. Then the floor fell apart into ribbons of paper that swallowed her up, and she was gone.

* * *

"Huh?" murmured Anya blearily, blinking and looking around. "What…what happened?" 

"Hello, sister," greeted Emeline, stepping out from the shadows of a nearby white pillar. "The boys are busy fighting, so I thought I'd take the chance to talk to you."

"About what?" asked Anya cautiously, now completely alert. Looking around, she found herself in a white room of the same style as the rest of the castle, white pillars lining the walls in a circle. However, the lighting was dim, leaving the walls invisible in shadows and concealing Emeline as she walked behind the pillars, circling Anya who stood in the center of the room.

"I don't know… how about, everything?" suggested Emeline conversationally. "Like how you can control your darkness now. Congratulations. I was wondering how long it would take you to gain control of it," she murmured. "I was pretty sure you would succeed this time. You did it fairly fast. I think it was the boy's help."

"This time?" said Anya skeptically. "What do you mean?"

"You wouldn't remember," replied the blonde sister glibly.

"Why wouldn't I… my memories," she gasped in realization. "Why can't I remember anything before running away from you? What did you do with my memories?" she demanded angrily, the Shadow Lance appearing in her hand.

"Wouldn't you like to know, sister?" said Emeline with a smile, holding up her book. "It's all written here. Think you can take it from me?"

* * *

The ceiling burst in a shatter of plaster and stone, which soon turned to shreds of paper that drifted down on the cowering teenagers as Cloud and Sephiroth took to the sky, their powerful auras still present, but no longer on the verge of snuffing out their lives with the pressure. Gasping for breath and clutching his chest with one hand, Daxtin stumbled to his feet, helping Kairi to her feet and glancing up into the air every few seconds at the battling halves of the demi-god. 

"We have to get out of here," he rasped quietly. Looking around, he then asked, "Where's Anya?"

High above, the battle raged on as Angel and Warrior clashed in furious combat. Knocking Cloud away with a powerful counterattack, the One Winged Angel formed a glowing ball of burning fire in one hand before flinging it at the fighter. The flames burst as they struck his raised wide sword, and then Sephiroth was upon him. Matching each other move for move, Cloud could already feel his strength flagging, though his opponent gave no such signs. If he was to win this, to _survive_ this, he would have to end it quickly. Quickly focusing his aura, he moved in quickly, dodging under Sephiroth's mighty blade and going with an upward thrust towards the angel's head. The One Winged Angel avoided the attack easily, leaning back, then grunted in pain and surprise as Cloud brought the blade back down, handle slamming hard into his stomach. The silver-haired warrior went flying down towards the roof of the gleaming citadel, crashing into the roof hard as Cloud came flying down after him. The fallen angel barely had time to stand before Cloud was before him, knocking him up into the air with a powerful uppercut.

Gathering his aura, the blonde-haired warrior concentrated all his power into his sword, then threw it up into the air after the stricken Sephiroth. As the blade spun through the sky, it split into six golden swords that spread out in a circle around the One Winged Angel. Then Cloud shot up to him, and grabbing one of the swords, became a blur of golden light that shot through the fallen angel in one swift motion. Coming out the other side, he grabbed another blade, this time going faster as he slashed through Sephiroth. Soon, the angel was caught in a storm of golden light as Cloud moved faster and faster, until it exploded in a final flash of light as Cloud landed on what remained of the palace roof, blade once more one in his hand. Looking up, his piercing blue eyes locked on the aqua-green ones of his darkness.

"My light will never accept you," proclaimed Cloud firmly. "I've defeated you for the last time, Sephiroth. Now fade away into memories, where you belong."

Sephiroth looked down to him, and with the smile of the undefeated, assured him, "I will not become a memory."

And then, in a flurry of black feathers, he was gone.

* * *

The pillars fell in a flurry of paper shreds as Anya's Shadow Lance cut through them, completely missing Emeline as the blonde girl dodged gracefully, paper and ink spinning around her at her control. The darkness cut paper and paper absorbed darkness as they clashed there, below Emeline's room. Anya lunged forwards, ignoring all barriers that her sister put up, and in one fell swoop, cut her in twain. 

Emeline's laugh was soft and high behind her as the body crumpled into discarded paper.

"Want to know the truth?" she whispered in her ear. "Let me tell you."

* * *

There was a flash of light above, and then the floor crumbled around them in a surge of power and darkness. Daxtin and Kairi cried out in surprise as they fell through the ground into the darkened chamber below. 

"You're lying!" cried Anya, lashing out at her sister in a quick strike. The blond girl merely laughed and dodged back into the shadows out of harm's way.

"Would I lie to you?" Emeline's mocking voice echoed throughout the chamber.

"Anya, what's going on?" asked Daxtin, scrambling to his feet by the young girl.

"She's… I'm…" stuttered Anya. Shaking her head violently, she lunged at a movement in the shadows, her dark spear swinging wildly. Pillars crashed down around her as she lashed out angrily at Emeline's ghostly laugh.

"Anya, stop it!" pleaded Kairi, ducking down to avoid being struck in the other girl's destructive rampage. Ignoring her, the dark-haired girl continued on, destroying everything around her in an attempt to get her tormentor. "Anya!"

"Get a grip!" yelled Daxtin, reaching up and grabbing her arm and stopping her midswing. Anya ignored her, and with surprising strength threw him off, sending him flying across the room and crashing into the ruined pillars.

"Where are you?" she yelled, looking around, peering into the shadows.

"Looking for something?" came a voice, mysterious and strange.

Turning, the trio spotted the tall black cloaked figure standing there amidst the ruined pillars. At the snap of his fingers, the room lit up, revealing Emeline where she stood on the other side of the room.

"Organization XIII!" exclaimed Daxtin, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands.

"I have no business with you," murmured the man smoothly, walking forwards. Ignoring the trio of teenagers, he walked through them as though he was mist, or they were, leaving a cold sensation shivering through their bodies. "I've come for the angel."

"Well, you're too late," said Emeline mildly. "He's already left."

"Hey, don't ignore us!" shouted Daxtin angrily, pouncing at the black cloaked man, aura blades swinging. There was a flash of light as he painfully bounced off the barrier separating the Organization member from them. Then a ball of darkness formed there, Kairi only pulling the boy out of the way just in time before it flashed and disappeared, taking a large section of floor and rubble with it in an instant.

"Let's get out of here," said Kairi quickly. "I don't think we want to be around when those two fight." Nodding his agreement, Daxtin scrambled to his feet and followed the girls out of the room through a revealed passageway, now that there was actual lighting.

"Now that they're gone," intoned the man darkly, "care to repeat yourself?"

"I said, the angel's gone," replied Emeline, a hint of annoyance crossing her face. "Just which of those Organization fools are you, to challenge me here?"

The man laughed softly, then pulled back his hood, revealing a smooth, dark-skinned face and long silver hair with a high warrior-like ponytail up top. His piercing eyes were the color of molten amber as he stared out at her with a thin smile on his face.

"I am number I, Xatheron," he answered formally, "the Superior."

* * *

"Ah. There you are." 

Kensuke smiled and gave a cheerful wave as he stepped over the smoldering remains to where his companion gazed up at the paper sky.

"I see you did fairly well," he said with a grin. "Less bloody than me."

"Yeah, seems that way," replied Roxtarit easily. Then he shrugged, and added, "I'm the best."

"Tch, whatever," laughed V. "Let's get out of here. Seems this was a total flop."

Two corridors of darkness opened, and then the battlefield was empty.

* * *

"Clever," said Emeline. "So the entire siege was just a distraction so you could get in here while I was weakened with dealing with the outside forces." 

"Precisely," hissed Xatheron. "And this is the part where you die."

Red beams of energy extended from his gloved hands. Swinging one arm about as he approached her, he demonstrated their power as they easily sliced through a marble pillar, reducing it to the paper from which it was made.

"We'll see," replied the girl with a smug look. At her command, armored guards and ribbons of paper appeared all around her. "Destroy him."

* * *

"Okay, mission accomplished!" cheered Daxtin as he opened a portal back to Radiant Garden. "And no casualties to boot. Hey, where do you think Cloud went?" 

"Probably off to chase down Sephiroth," replied Kairi. Turning, she looked over at their younger companion. "You okay, Anya?"

"Huh? Um…yeah," lied the dark-haired girl quietly, her eyes distant as she thought about something else.

"Well, alright," said the older girl doubtfully, "but if you want to talk to us about anything, feel free, okay?"

"Ah, leave her alone," shrugged Daxtin. "She's probably just shaken from meeting her sister again. Emeline can be pretty creepy, you know? Probably told her some weird something or other mystical babble. I've decided not to pay her any heed, but…"

Kairi nodded then followed Daxtin into the portal. Anya gave the battle-torn paper palace one last look before going after them. Her sister had told her something, but there had been nothing enigmatic about it. Clear and simple, Emeline had told her the truth.


	22. The Calm before the Storm

Kinda short again: Yeah, but from here on out it's all action as we wrap this story up in its probably less than stunning conclusion. But, more importantly, I've got a gallery set up with pictures of (most) all the characters. It's available at my comandeered thread of my school's anime club website at http(colon slash slash) z3 (dot) invisionfree (dot) com (slash) lghsanime (slash) index (dot) php?showtopic (equals) 330&st (equals) 0, replacing what's in parentheses with the actual symbols. For some reason, FFnet is really dumb and won't let you post web addresses. Or you can check my profile, I've set it as my homepage. Yeah, so enjoy my craptacular drawings in bad lighting and all that. See ya later.

* * *

Chapter 21: The Calm Before the Storm

* * *

"So the mission was a success, I take it?" asked Ansem as the trio walked into his office. They nodded the affirmative at his question. 

"We managed to prevent either Emeline or Organization XIII from retaining hold on Sephiroth," reported Kairi. "However, we did not manage to destroy him."

"But Cloud sure did!" supplied Daxtin enthusiastically. At the King's look of question, Kairi explained.

"When we got there, Emeline had already separated the Angel of the Abyss back into the One Winged Angel and the warrior Cloud," she said. She continued, "We released him first, then the angel. They fought to what may be a conclusion, but I believe Sephiroth is still out there. But now, Cloud is out there too as a balancing force."

"Well, that's good to know," commented Cid dryly.

"What's our next course of action?" asked Okina. The king considered her request for a moment before speaking.

"The Organization has been dealt a crushing blow," he started. "Not only did they fail to retrieve the Angel of the Abyss, but they also lost several of their members and numerous Heartless and Nobodies. It is my decision that now is the time to strike at their world."

"Who should go?" asked the captain of the guards. "We are still badly hurt from the invasion here. Even if they were defeated at Kami, the Organization controls countless minions."

"A small force will probably be best," agreed Ansem. "Harder to detect and corner. If it's not too much to ask, I think Kairi and her friends would be the best choice. I will need Cid and Okina here, and most likely Kentaro also, to help organize the restoration of the city."

"That's fine with us," said Kairi, Daxtin nodding his agreement. "We'll leave in the morning."

"Good luck," said the King. "Our fate is in your hands."

* * *

It was by chance that Okina spotted him as she patrolled the upper reaches of the castle. A black cloaked figure walking calmly down the halls as if he owned the place. There was a strange compulsion about him, as if he belonged here, and she almost turned away and ignored him, but something in the back of her mind overrode the aura and reminded her that men in black cloaks were indeed suspicious and should be followed. 

Tailing him through the maze that was the library, she followed him around bookcases and pedestals up the stairs into the grand ridge, the highest part of the castle that was open to the sky. It was dodgy trying to follow him across so much open space, but the Organization member never looked back as he continued his purposeful stride into the chapel. From there, he headed up a flight of stairs to the great hall, a room that had been locked as long as anyone could remember. As she watched, the man placed a hand on the large double doors, talking lowly, loud enough for her to hear, but too quiet to make out what he was saying. As he finished speaking, there was a small flash of light from his hand, and much to Okina's surprise, when he pushed at the locked doors, they swung open easily for him. The man looked around and she ducked behind a nearby pillar to avoid detection. When she looked back again, he was gone, so she assumed he had gone in and followed him there.

The inside of the great hall was wide and spacious, with tall alcoves set in the side leading up to a raised dais at the end with two sets of stairs, one on either side, curving up to it. At the end of the hall upon the dais was a large machine the likes of which Okina had never seen before. It was all pipes and coils leading to a single heart-shaped opening. The black cloaked man stood before it, and she could hear his voice echoing throughout the hallway, just on the edge of familiarity. He seemed otherwise occupied, so she made her way down the hall fairly quickly, going up the stairs quietly and coming up behind him as he finished his incantations.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath, slamming a gloved fist into the frame of the great portal. "Why isn't this working?"

"Rann?" gasped Okina softly, recognizing the voice finally.

"It's Griever," he corrected her absently as he turned around, sweeping his hood off in one swift motion as he faced her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him cautiously, her hands at the ready to draw her swords. At her question the man was quiet, his eyes slightly downcast.

"I know where she is," he said quietly. "She's on the other side."

"What do you mean?" asked Okina curiously.

"They have a library there, in the Castle of Naught," he explained. "It dates back several hundred years. It includes some of the research notes of the original Ansem the Wise. There are three realms: the realm of Light, the realm of Darkness, and the Twilight realm in between. Here in the realm of Light, we can actually access some of the Twilight realm. The World that Never Was is one example. Twilight Town is another. However, the only way that directly links the realm of Light to that of the Darkness is this, the Door to Darkness. Xehanort once tried to use this in an attempt to open Kingdom Hearts. He missed its true purpose: allowing one to travel to the realm of Darkness."

"And that's where she is?"

"Yes," he replied solemnly. "That is where she is." Pausing he turned to face the great, empty portal before continuing on. "Normally, you need the seven Princesses of Heart to open the Door to Darkness. I found an override that should have been able to open it without them. But it doesn't work.

"For all my time spent in Organization XIII, they have given me no answers to my problems. On top of that, I now know that this is no longer a matter of the heart; this is a matter of the realms. So Kingdom Hearts will not be the answer."

He turned to her then, his eyes full of deep sadness.

"I've betrayed you, and now I've betrayed the Organization. I have no where to go, no one to turn to, and nothing left for me in this world."

"Rann…" she murmured quietly as she watched the broken man. When he didn't correct her, she continued. "Rann, you _always_ have a home here. No matter what you've been through or done, we're ready to welcome you back. You can't change the past, Rann. But you can still shape the future. You can't just hang your whole life on Meili."

At the sound of her name, his eyes narrowed. Turning back to the portal, he gazed at the empty shell of a machine before speaking.

"I won't give up on her," he said. "I'll find a way to the other side. Even if I have to lose myself in the darkness."

With one wave of his hand, he opened a roiling portal of shadows around himself and was gone.

* * *

"Hey, cutie, what's wrong?" 

Anya jumped at the sudden intrusion, turning to see Kentaro poking his head in through the door to her room. She was sure she had locked it, but being a thief, that probably hadn't stopped the cat boy in the slightest.

"Go away," she muttered, turning back to look out the window at the evening sky. Her face was set deep into her the white sleeves of her crossed arms, her jacket discarded along with her shoes at the foot of the bed on which she knelt.

"Oh, come on," he whined. She heard the door close behind her and only settled deeper into herself as she felt him climb onto the bed with her and wrap his arms about her. "I mean really, you've been so down since you came back."

"Why do you care?" she asked sourly, ignoring the weight on her shoulder as he leaned his head on her. "Shouldn't you be off molesting Kairi or something?"

"Anya…" he said in a hurt tone of voice. "Seriously, it's no fun if I know one of my friends is this troubled. I mean it."

For a while they sat there, the girl quietly sulking as the boy just hung on her comfortingly. It was a long time before either one said anything.

"I know that I probably can't understand what you're going through," said Kentaro quietly, his warm breath brushing against her ear, "but even if I can't, I want you to know that we all believe in you. You have a lot of friends, and we're all here to help with whatever problems you may have, no matter how big or small, even if we don't understand or you can't tell us what's wrong, just know that we're supporting you, okay?"

He got no answer for a while, but he knew that she was smiling, ever so slightly. After a little bit, she reached up and patted his arm with one hand.

"Thanks," she said shortly, turning and flashing him a soft smile. "Really."

"No problem," he said. With that, he untangled his limbs from around her and hopped off the bed, heading back and opening the door. At her questioning look, he merely responded, "Things to see. People to do. After all, I should be molesting Kairi or something, right?"

He flashed her a quick smile, then was gone.

Anya sat alone, thinking about what he had said. He was right. Even if they couldn't understand her problems, it was nice to have friends.

* * *

"So, how you feelin' now, Kir?" asked Daxtin casually as he stuck in his head while passing by the boy's room. 

"Pretty good," replied the kid with a small smile. "I've thought about what you said, and I guess you're right. I've gotta do what I've gotta do to stop Organization XIII, even if it means helping them a little on the way. I'll just seal up Kingdom Hearts first, and then we can rescue Diant and bring him home."

The older boy frowned slightly at this last statement. Apparently, Kairi hadn't told him the details of their encounter with Daxtin's other.

"Umm… about that," he said tentatively. "Diant isn't a captive. He's a member of Organization XIII."

"What? You're lying!" shouted Kir, his face going harsh suddenly. "Diant wouldn't do that!"

"Whether he would or wouldn't, he has," replied Daxtin dubiously in the face of the young boy's rage. "It's the truth."

"I don't believe you!" he yelled angrily. "You're just a Nobody! You're trying to steal his place!"

"Kir," said the older boy calmly, "I haven't known you for long, but I was hoping we could be friends. And now, as a friend, I'm telling you that this is the truth." When there were no further outbursts, he continued. "I'm not telling you this to make you think any less of Diant, or to hurt you feelings. I assure you that his reasons are sound, if a little tragic, and even though he stands on the side of the enemy, I think no less of him and neither should you. I'm telling you this because you need to know. As the key bearer, you must know that you will be necessary in this final showdown. And if you are to fight with us, and against the Organization, you have to know that you may end up facing Diant as an enemy, not a friend. This is just to prepare you, not to make you like him any less or me any more, okay?"

The boy gave no response, negative or otherwise. Daxtin sadly shook his head, and then left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

"That took a lot of guts to tell him that," said Kairi quietly from where she stood leaning against the wall.

"Not really," shrugged off Daxtin as he walked off, the girl falling in step with him as they headed for their respective sleeping quarters. "He needed to know, and anyone could have told him. I just happened to do it."

"I couldn't have," admitted the red head quietly. "I didn't." Sighing, she explained, "He's like a little brother to me. And Diant's all he's ever looked up to his whole life. I just couldn't bear to tell him his best friend, no, _our_ best friend, was an enemy. It's a hard thing for me to face myself." For a while she was quiet, and before Daxtin could think of anything to fill the silence, they had reached her room. Pausing before it, they stood there awkwardly, not yet wanting the conversation to end. Then, suddenly, without a word, Kairi leaned forwards and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, pressing her body close to his.

"Kairi…" he gasped in surprise at the sudden embrace, quieting at her whispering hush.

"Shh…" she murmured quietly. "I just want you to know… no matter what happens, you'll always be my friend, okay?"

"Even if I'm nobody?" he asked softly, already sure of her answer.

"Even if you're nobody," she replied. "It doesn't matter what anyone says. Maybe what you feel are just memories of emotions, but they're real enough for me. And what I feel is definitely real. A Nobody, someone without a heart, the shadow of Diant, these aren't who you are. Daxtin is who you are."

She smiled at him then with warm blue eyes, and he smiled back with equal warmth and feeling. Then she let go and blushed a little at what had just happened, and he laughed awkwardly. With that, the moment was over and they were both laughing over the whole incident feeling a bit silly about the drama of it all. Still giggling, Kairi said a quick goodnight before disappearing into the confines of her room.

Still smiling, Daxtin walked off to his room filled with a warmth that couldn't possibly be happiness, but would do for now.


	23. The Gate Keeper

Slower: My writing's starting to slow down as I read more. I picked up the Sword of Truth books and am reading through those again. Ah well. Soon I'll be pulling this story to a close and moving on to the second book. Actually, I probably have more than 10 more chapters to go. Who knows. Anyway, read on brave readers.

* * *

Chapter 22: The Gate Keeper

* * *

The dark portal opened and they stepped out onto the newly repaired plaza before the train station into the nigh-perpetual sunset of Twilight Town. 

"Back here again? Can't we go directly to the World That Never Was?" asked Anya, looking about cautiously.

"No," commented Daxtin. "I think they've entirely sealed off their world from any other, using Twilight Town as a gate." Summoning Joiner and Divider, he attempted to create a portal to the Organization's world, but nothing happened. "Why. Isn't. This. Working!" he shouted in frustration, swinging his sword with each word.

"Maybe we have to go back to the Old Mansion and use the portal there again?" suggested Kairi. "It's just a quick walk through town."

"Right," nodded Anya, starting off down the hill, Kairi after her. Daxtin however wasn't so quick to follow.

"Yeah, sure," he mumbled, walking after them slowly. "No problem."

* * *

They walked quickly down the sloped hills of Station Heights to the Tram Commons, the girls chatting amiably with each other and various townspeople as they went. Daxtin however, was silent as he tromped on behind them. He realized that all this adventure was coming to an end. This would be their final trip to the World That Never Was. And he felt that almost certainly this would be the last time he'd ever see Twilight Town, his hometown. 

_After all,_ he thought to himself, _the whole point is that we beat the Organization, lock away Kingdom Hearts, and then everything goes back to normal and everyone goes home, right? So that would mean Diant would get to go home… whole. So what happens to me?_ He sighed as he took one last look around town before they stepped through the crevasse in the wall to the forest. _Will I just… disappear?_

As they came out of the forest into the twilit clearing before the Old Mansion, they immediately noticed the bulky black cloaked man standing before the wrought iron gates. With blocky face and swept back brown hair, he was unmistakable.

"Maxinaeus," hissed Daxtin, drawing Joiner and Divider. "Get out of our way!"

"As the Gate Keeper, I cannot do that," rumbled the large man deeply, remaining resolutely before them.

"We gave him a chance," murmured Anya sadly. "If he won't move…"

"Fine then, you asked for it!" yelled the boy, lunging at the man. The grassy lawn split asunder before him as a wall of earth shot up, blocking his way. Before he could react to the obstacle, the hardened barrier of dirt and rock split apart, sliced into pieces by the Stoic Defender's monstrous axe. Daxtin quickly dodged back as warrior and clumps of earth came flying at him in a deadly assault. As he did, bolts of lightning fell from the sky, breaking up the hardened projectiles. Maxinaeus's axe moved in a blur as he deflected fireballs and shots of ice sent by Kairi's hands. Sweeping Daxtin back with a well aimed pillar of stone, the Nobody dodged back as Anya lunged at him, Shadow Lance at the ready. Dodging to the side as she pounced, he ducked under as she swung behind her, the wave of darkness from her lance cutting down several nearby trees. Before she could strike against, a wave of jutting stone spars shot up out of the ground, knocking her back against the iron gates before the mansion.

"Earth Aspect: Sand," he chanted softly, standing to his feet. As he did, swirling columns of sand shot up around him, buffeting Daxtin away and blocking more of Kairi's spells. The storm of swirling particles formed a shifting barrier between the Organization member and his enemies. "Do you know what sand is? It's a million little rocks, small enough to float effortlessly and fill the air you breathe with hardened bits of stone at my command."

As he spoke, his axe disintegrated into pure white dust that was swept up into the sandy storm around him. Manipulating the swirling storm around him with both gloved hands, he turned his assault into a towering wave that he directed before him at Kairi and Daxtin. The boy had only an instant to react as Kairi's spells reflected harmlessly off of the coming wave.

"Divider!" he shouted, lashing out with the black aura blade. Immediately, the wave of sand split before him, revealing his target as he charged through the gap at Maxinaeus. As he did, the two sides of sand around him came crashing together, engulfing him in their crushing embrace. As this happened, Anya got up from where she had fallen and lunged at IX in a near animalistic fury, her body engulfed in darkness that came off in smoking waves and ribbons of shadow. She dodged spurts of sand and rock that he threw at her with unnatural speed, becoming a blur of shadow and darkness as she closed in on him. Getting sick of this, the Stoic Defender raised both arms, summoning an encircling wall of sand around the raging Heartless, closing in over her.

There was a flash of darkness as the sand shot out around her in a spray of grit and shadow. The dark figure that was Anya stepped forwards out of the swirling sandstorm towards the man in the black cloak as he regarded her calmly. At one snap of his gloved fingers, the sand beneath her feet swirled into a churning whirlpool, the sand in the air coagulating on her to pull her under. The sand wall blocking them from Kairi and Daxtin cleared just in time for them to watch their friend be pulled under, deep into the ground.

"What did you do to her?" demanded Daxtin angrily as Maxinaeus turned to face him.

"She's been pulled deep into the ground. I've fortified the sand around her with the various deposits of iron and other hardened minerals from the surrounding area. With only a minimum use of my power, the pressure will crush her to death in minutes," he explained. "However, the amount of sand and control needed to do this means I can only do it to one of you. Count yourselves lucky. Crushing suffocation is not a good way to go."

"You bastard!" roared the boy angrily, charging at him. He sliced through the Nobody's barriers of sand as Kairi's spells knocked out heavy projectiles of it, covering him as he went in. Dodging under a questing arm of sand, he leapt up to strike at the man's face. A swift wall of sand came up in front of him, blocking both his blades. Then a gloved hand reached out of the wave and grabbed him by the throat, thick gloved hands digging into his neck.

"Thunder!" yelled Kairi, coming to his rescue. The Stoic Defender grunted in pain as the spell struck, his grip loosening enough for Daxtin to jump away. Taking this chance, he leapt forwards, knocking the man to his back and bringing his blades to his throat.

"Bring her back!" he demanded, his face contorted in rage.

"Make me," rumbled Maxinaeus calmly, sand swirling up around him. The brown wave shot up around him, lifting his attacker away as he stood to his feet. With one sweep of his hand, he brought up a shield of sand to block Kairi's next spell before forming it into a dense ball that he threw at her, knocking her off her feet and into the bushes. Then he turned his attention on the boy.

Waving his arms, he summoned a swift wave of sand to engulf the young warrior before he could react. Slowly the man brought the sand to focus into a tight cocoon of sand around him. As much as he resisted, Daxtin couldn't break the hold of the imprisoning sand as Maxinaeus brought his hand up, slowly balling his fingers into a fist, bringing the crushing force to bear on his body. He gasped as he felt the air crushed out of his lungs, his ribs cracking under the immense pressure that was being applied to his body.

"And now… you die," the Nobody intoned in his deep, earthy voice.

The ground behind him exploded in a fury of rock and shadow. Turning, he regarded with stunned expression the flurry of sand and darkness that was erupting from the ground behind him. In the center of the explosion and storm was a single shadowy figure, darkness seething off her in deep ribbons of night, one hand clutching the burning length of the Shadow Lance, the other curled into a feral black claw.

"Let him go," hissed Anya angrily. Her eyes flashed white for an instant, specks of light surrounded by thin lines in the darkness. Maxinaeus winced in pain as his shoulder blew open, spraying blood as it was torn apart by an unseen force. As this happened, the sand holding Daxtin was blown apart, flinging the boy to the ground roughly, though mostly unharmed. Dashing forwards in short spurts of speed, she came up on the downed Organization member, leaping up on him in a bestial fury. The Shadow Lance disappeared as she took to tearing at him with her bare hands, tempered with darkness into deadly claws. Knocking him to the ground, she wrapped her fingers around his neck, slowly crushing his throat in her grasp.

"You… Heartless," he coughed, gasping for breath as she choked the life out of him. "You…may have saved your… friends…but now you're just… a creature… of the darkness."

"This is my darkness," her voice hissed, though her mouth was bared open in jagged open grin of a monster. It echoed and resonated, as if two of her were speaking at once. Her eyes flashed between the white glow of her power and the yellow glow of the Heartless hunger as she gazed down on him, squeezing tighter and tighter. "I'll use it, not the other way around!"

"So…sure…huh?" he choked out, his words coming in bloody gurgles as he resisted her strength, a losing battle. "Then… if you want darkness… I'll fill your heart with it!"

The ground shook with power as Maxinaeus's body exploded in a flash of darkness, spraying black shadows all around that shot out, and then flew back in to Anya. The girl screamed in rage and agony as the shadows hit her, entering her, suffusing themselves into her heart. The darkness seethed around her, her form distorting and bulging, as if something inside was trying to force its way out of her. Still screaming, she stood up straight, hands clenched tight into fists, her fingers digging into the flesh of her palms as she tried to control it. Then, there was a flash of light, and the darkness was gone from her. She had been restored to her normal self, her eyes once more soft and gentle. She had regained control. For now.

"Are you okay?" asked Daxtin, coming up behind her. She turned and smiled, giving him a small nod. "Kairi…Kairi! Where's Kairi?"

"I'm…okay," came her voice as she stumbled out of the bushes. She was scraped and bruised all across her shoulders and face, but already was weaving spells about herself, the soft green light fading the wounds back to healthy new flesh. "Did we win?"

"Yeah, Anya beat him but good!" replied Daxtin with a grin. Smiling as the older girl walked over, he declined her offers of help, claiming he was fine. "Come on, we have to get to the World That Never Was before any more Organization members show up."

With that, he headed through the wrought iron gates and into the Old Mansion, the other two following behind, Kairi with determination, and Anya with hidden uncertainty.

* * *

Entering the secret basement, they moved across the empty room towards the rift that Daxtin had opened earlier, leading to the world of Organization XIII. He stood before it now, staring into its swirling depths. 

"I guess… this is it," he said quietly as he stood before the portal. Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside, his final goodbyes to his home already said.

Inside was the psychedelic rainbow of Betwixt and Between. They made their way quickly across, hoping not to attract anymore of the Organization's attention, but as they approached the far portal, they could already see that it was too late for that. The young man in the black cloak stood facing them resolutely, his piercing blue eyes hard in its gaze.

"I told you, that was my last favor to you as a friend, Kairi," said Diant quietly. "I'm only doing this so all three of us can go home together and live in peace. Without these outsiders," he added angrily, shifting his glare over to his Nobody before returning it to the red headed girl. "Even if I can't call you friend, I still care about you and your well being. Don't force me to consider you an enemy."

"Diant, please get out of the way," she pleaded. "You're being misled. We can all go home together, after we stop the Organization."

"No, you don't understand! I need Kingdom Hearts to return to me what is mine," he shouted angrily. "To cleanse me of my darkness and everything I've done. To make me whole." With a wave of his hands, he summoned Joiner and Divider to himself before turning to Daxtin. "And I'll start, by getting rid of you!"

The black cloaked boy lunged at him, the aura blades swinging wildly as Daxtin blocked and dodged back. Counterattacking, he jumped in and under Diant's next swing, bringing Divider up in a powerful uppercut. There was a flash of light as a shimmering barrier formed around the brunette, absorbing the attack, and then shattering with an explosive force that sent Daxtin flying back.

"You can't touch me! I'm real; you're just a fake!" laughed Diant as his Other hit the nonexistent ground. Turning quickly, he blew Anya away with a flash of light from one hand as she tried to sneak up behind him. "I'm the Shining Warrior; no Heartless can harm me."

"Then what about me?" asked Kairi, stepped up to him. He backed away slightly, though he kept his weapons at the ready.

"Kairi, I don't want to hurt you," he said quietly.

"Why? I thought I wasn't your friend anymore, Diant," she hissed vehemently. "Besides. You already did. You hurt my friends, and that's the same as hurting me."

That said, she swung at him, hurling burning fireballs at him. He dodged around them, deflected a few with his blades, playing an entirely defensive role. Jumping back as Kairi cast a bolt of lightning at him, he moved too late to avoid being hit by the next thunder spell. He gasped in pain as the electricity ran through his body, the feeling like molten lead pouring through his very bones. Panting hard as the pain faded, he glared at Kairi with cold, empty eyes.

"You…you really tried to kill me," he gasped angrily.

"No, Diant, I…" stuttered Kairi, backing away from him as he approached, a crazed look in his eyes. He was starting to really frighten her. Suddenly, he was before her, aura blades raised. Striking out with Joiner and Divider, Kairi barely had time to bring her arms up in defense and was sent flying back by the blow. Landing hard on her back, he leapt up and over, landing right above her, blade to her throat. He paused there, an inch away from taking her life. She stared up at him with frightened eyes, doing her best not to move. "Diant…"

His piercing blue eyes focused only on her, ignoring Daxtin and Anya as they ran up, stopping a few feet away, afraid of what he might do. He gazed down, eyes maddened with betrayal. And then they softened, uncertainty entering them as he stared at someone who had once been one of his best friends. Shaking his head, he kept one blade trained on her, clutching his free hand to his forehead as he struggled with himself and what he was doing. Letting out a frustrated growl, he jumped back away from her, a dark portal forming around him. The darkness engulfed him, and then he was gone.

"Are you okay? What happened," asked Daxtin as he ran up.

"I… I don't know," admitted Kairi, getting back to her feet. "I think I might have made him think a little about what he was doing." She paused, looking towards the spot where he had been before disappearing. "I think I might have changed his mind."

"Well, we can hope," said Daxtin, turning back to the portal that lead out. "Let's go. Let's end this."


	24. True Darkness

Heeeey: My sleep schedule's all screwed up. But, glad you guys like the drawings. Hope you like this chapter. It's filled with violence and fighting and arms getting ripped off.

* * *

Chapter 23: True Darkness

* * *

They came out into the dark Undercity that lurked below the shining peaks of the Castle of Naught. Neon signs in a variety of languages stood out in the darkness, casting long shadows in which Heartless lurked, eying the new intruders cautiously, but not coming out after them. The silence was oppressive. 

Walking down dark, strange alleys, they came out of the dark into the open plaza where they had first met Diant, below the towering stare of Memory's Skyscraper. As they did, the rain began falling in a steady beat, the drops splashing on the dark pavement around them. Standing in the center of the square, alone, holding a white paper umbrella over her head, was Emeline.

"Took you long enough," she murmured conversationally as they walked up to her. "I was almost afraid you wouldn't make it."

"What are you doing here?" demanded Daxtin angrily, Joiner and Divider appearing in his hands. He glanced about suspiciously, trying to see what trap she had set, but it looked to be that Emeline was as she appeared: alone, standing in the rain with them.

"I'm here for her," replied the young blonde easily, waving a hand at Anya. "Just to tell her a few things." Smiling, she walked up to them, ignoring their drawn weapons. Coming to a halt before her dark-haired sister, she considered her thoughtfully, an amused look dancing across her eyes. "So, you really think you're in control of your darkness, hmm?"

"Of course I am," protested Anya quickly, though her eyes said otherwise. Backing away a little, she stared back with the same frightened, uncertain look that Daxtin had seen when he first met her.

"You, who know so little," laughed the other girl lightly. "I can feel it, you know. The darkness in you, overflowing. What that Organization fool did isn't helping you either. You contain your power like a wild beast, afraid of it. And yet the harder you squeeze, the more it slips out of your grasp, out of your control. You ride it like a wild stallion, and it bucks at every move. It's a constant war between whether you control the darkness, of if it controls you." She made a disapproving noise, and raising one hand, brought a crumpled flame of paper into existence over her palm, the white paper crackling as it moved, simulating a real fire. "You can't just control your power like it's some beast. It's a tool, an extension of your will. You have to _be_ your power."

"What's your point?" growled Daxtin angrily, stepping in between the two sisters protectively.

"My point is, she'll never be able to serve me as she is now," answered Emeline easily. "So I'm going to release her darkness. Then it's do or die. Become the darkness, or succumb to it." Smiling, she snapped her fingers, extinguishing the paper flame. As she did, there was a flash of darkness at Anya's chest, causing both Daxtin and Kairi to jump back and face her. Laughing lightly, her voice like a tinkling wind-chime, Emeline stepped back into a gathering whirlwind of pages in the dark, steady rain. When the storm stopped, she was gone.

Anya fell to the ground, hard, her knees splashing in the rain slick puddles on the paved ground. She knelt forwards, clutching desperately at her chest as her forehead struck the pavement as she struggled with the darkness within.

"Anya!" cried out Kairi, running up to her, a worried expression on her face. Brushing back a wet strand of red hair, she bent down to help her up. "Are you alright?"

"Get away from me!" yelled the younger girl, sweeping an arm at the other. Breathing hard, she managed to gasp out, "Get away now!"

"It's happening again," whispered Daxtin softly to himself. He backed away, grabbing Kairi by the arm and taking her with him as tendrils of darkness formed around Anya, engulfing her in their shadowy embrace. The inky black engulfed the young girl into its dark depths, swallowing her whole as it became one solid blob of darkness. The shadows expanded, like some dark cocoon of some unholy insect, growing and mutating larger and larger. Cracks ran up the sides of it, deep violet light bleeding out to bathe the plaza in darkness. Then it shattered, like so much blackened glass, revealing the creature within.

It was, however, not what Daxtin expected.

* * *

Anya opened her eyes, once again finding herself lost in complete and utter darkness. Surrounding her was the now familiar featureless plane of shadows. Turning around, she found herself face to face with herself. 

"Hello again," smiled her darkness, flashing her a wicked grin. "I told you, if you weakened for even one second, if you even hesitated, I would buck you off and crush you beneath my hooves, _king_." Giggling, she ran a hand through her smooth black hair as she approached Anya. "You're so pathetic. Every time something surprises you, you freak out and get scared. You have no confidence. Every time Emeline says something you don't understand, you start to worry. Even now, you're shaking like a scared child. When I'm king, I'll _never_ show weakness."

"Be…be quiet!" yelled Anya angrily. Waving her arm around, she summoned the Shadow Lance to her. "You're _my_ darkness!"

"I am. And you're _my_ host. And I intend to put your heart to good use for me."

* * *

Daxtin and Kairi stared at the dark figure before them. As the shadows cleared, they revealed the smiling figure of Anya. However, something about the malevolent grin on her face and the vicious look in her eyes told them that this wasn't their friend. 

"Hello, mortals," said the Anti-Anya cheerfully. "Looks like I'm finally king. And as my first act, I'm going to kill you two."

Grinning maliciously, she walked towards them, fingers curled into darkened claws as ribbons of night and darkness rolled off her like so much blackening smoke. As they watched, her pale skin went black, melding with her already black eyes, leaving the only features on her face the small white centers with surrounding lines of light. However, as she approached, more shadows welled up from the watery ground before them, a dark portal climbing up towards the rainy sky, opening and releasing a black cloaked figure between them.

"Kyara!" gasped Kairi in surprise, backing away from the cold hearted fighter. The Heartless ignored them, keeping her jet black eyes focused only on the Anti-Anya.

"She was here," she said simply, sniffing the air. "The paper witch."

"You mean Emeline?" cackled the dark girl before her. "She's gone now. But you can play with me. I'm her sister, so to speak."

"Needless," replied Kyara calmly.

"Needless? I _live _for gratuitous violence!" laughed Anya's darkness, lashing out at the Organization member. Kyara dodged back, wincing in surprise as blades of darkness rippled off the girl's hand, leaving long, bloody scratches across her face.

"Hazard," she finally decided, drawing her long steel kunai as she faced her opponent.

"Finally," grinned the dark girl. "I'll kill you!"

* * *

Anya dodged back as her darkness swept forwards, clawing at her face with long nails of darkness. Swinging out with the Shadow Lance, she ducked as her shadow responded by jumping and attacking with a sweeping kick. While she fought wielding her long spar of darkness, her opposite instead fighting with tooth and nail, darkness streaming off the both of them as they fought. As the dark Anya came down on her, she jumped back, slashing out at her and unleashing a wave of darkness. Howling inhumanly, the Anti-Anya dodged to one side in a blur of movement, then shot forwards, ragged claws of darkness extended. The Shadow Lance couldn't come around quick enough to block her as she leapt up, reaching for Anya's face. Bringing one arm up, she knocked away the questing hands and lunged forwards, jamming a shoulder into her other's chest and knocking the bestial darkness away from her. The dark Anya landed on all fours, quickly recovering her balance and launching herself back into the attack immediately. 

Anya responded by counterattacking, lunging in with her spear of darkness, painting deep, ebony slashes in the air with it as her other lashed out with similar gashes of darkness that ripped through the emptiness in which they fought. Their moves became blurred as they both became entangled in one long dance, each moving around the other, circling and slashing, both instinctively knowing what the other would do as they tried to gain the advantage. Blood spattered, adding color to the darkness in a vivid red as their aim grew deadlier, opening minor cuts and wounds on each other. Anya swung wide with her lance, aiming to take off the top of her other's head, only to watch as her other dodged down low, crouching on all fours in front of her before springing up. She cried out in pain as she felt the needle sharp teeth rip through her sleeve and pierce the soft, pale flesh of her upper arm, spraying blood across her young face.

In one tearing motion, the Anti-Anya jumped away, ripping off her arm.

* * *

The dark Anya grinned smugly as she dodged back from Kyara's attacks. The tattooed woman lashed out with kicks and quick slashes, catching only air as Anya's darkness easily evaded the strikes, not even bothering to strike back. Kyara's dark eyes narrowed angrily and she blurred out of sight. Instinctively, the dark young girl blocked behind herself where the shadows formed, only to thwart a shadow as Kyara came into focus before her. Coldly, the Hidden Assassin struck out in one quick slash, drawing a long bloody cut across her face and knocking her back. Time seemed to slow as all watched the young girl stumble back in a spray of blood and rain, her face obscured as her back arched in pain. Then she flung forwards, facing her opponent with a dark face that revealed only glowing yellow eyes, the eyes of a Heartless. Shrieking in rage, the seething creature lunged out at Kyara with claws extended, the Organization member dodging back quickly to avoid injury. Teleporting quickly, she appeared behind the enraged creature of the dark, bringing her kunai up in one quick movement and lopping off her arm. The limb flew off into the rainy air, disintegrating into darkness. 

The Anti-Anya spun about, quickly lunging at her with her remaining hand. Kyara ducked underneath then jumped up under her guard, opening a long ragged wound up the girl's chest as she leapt up and over, landing with a splash behind her in a shallow puddle. She barely had time to turn and face her before the darkness surged out from the dark Anya's wounds, opening in hideous shapes and shrieking forms, claws and teeth made of shadows lunging out in a black wave. III stood her ground, her arms moving in a flash of motion as she cut the phantasms apart, finishing it with a wave of darkness that rent the air in two. When the shadows cleared in a fine black mist, they revealed Anya, whole and healed, darkness seething from her as she crouched in an animalistic pose, claws and teeth ready under her glowing Heartless eyes.

"Regeneration," noted Kyara calmly, reassessing her foe. Nodding, she warped and appeared behind the dark Anya swinging in a downward stabbing strike at her back. The Heartless kicked out at her legs, forcing the black cloaked killer to jump up, losing the momentum for her attack as she flipped up and over her opponent, landing behind her newly turned back. However, without even looking, the Anti-Anya's arm snaked out behind, grabbing her leg and pulling her down onto the cold, wet pavement. Turning, the dark beast jumped upon its prey, pinning Kyara down with its shadowy limbs as she slashed at its sides in vain, doing her best to hold back its snapping teeth and glowing eyes.

Eyes narrowing in anger as a clawed hand gripped her throat, the Hidden Assassin became engulfed in shadow, sinking into the ground and away from her foe.

"New plan," she murmured as she sank out of sight. "My way."

As she disappeared, the plaza became engulfed in shadows, the lights from the buildings and their neon signs fading from view. The Heartless Anya looked about suspiciously, sniffing the air as it tried to find its enemy.

Suddenly, it reeled in pain as slashes of pain cut through it from out of nowhere, the unseen enemy cutting into its dark flesh with swift blades. Lunging at the perceived threat, the Anti-Anya caught only shadow in its clawed grasp as the Hidden Assassin lived up to her name.

* * *

Anya fell to the dark ground, screaming as she clutched the bloody stump of her shoulder. Behind her, her darkness cackled wildly as it tore apart the severed limb with fangs and claws. Finishing its grisly meal, the Heartless turned and leapt at her, slamming into her back and knocking her away as she skidded across ground made slick with her own blood.

Eyes determined, she came to her feet, calling the Shadow Lance to her. It appeared in the empty space where her right hand should have been, the darkness seething off it. The shadows wrapped up towards her, twisting into a resemblance of her arm until it connected, and then solidified. Shadows roiled across her pale face as her new hand gripped the dark weapon tightly.

The Anti-Anya shrieked its protest at this sudden strength in her, surging forwards on waves of darkness, its claws ready to tear her apart. The young girl dodged easily, ducking under the snapping jaws and swinging limbs then turning to strike at its back. She swung the Shadow Lance in a horizontal slash, but the creature bucked on its arms, leaping its legs and body over the attack, then coming and turning back quickly. Anya leapt back away from it as it charged forwards, but the Heartless put on a sudden burst of speed, surging forwards as it raised its hand to her. Time slowed as she watched the ball of midnight black darkness form in its claws as it pressed the attack at her stomach. Reacting in the only way she could, she threw her legs up, sweeping her feet out from under herself and felling herself to the floor. The Heartless screamed by overhead as she landed on her back, the shadow ball and the accompanying claws crashing into the featureless plane on which they battled. Scrambling to her feet, she barely had time to dodge as the creature pounced at her again, its hands seething darkness as it tried to grasp her.

Dodging back, occasionally gaining herself room with the swing of the Shadow Lance, Anya suddenly found that she could predict her other's moves. She could read every slash, understand every thought and knew just where and how the Heartless was going to strike. Ducking under a double-armed swing at her face, she came up quickly, her eyes momentarily flashing black with the single pinpricks of light in them.

"I know you," she whispered in the silence as she came up. "You're not just my darkness..."

The dark spear shot up through the still air, easily sliding through the shadowy body and coming out the other side in a spray of deep crimson.

Anya, her eyes once more soft and sane, looked up into stunned eyes that mirrored her own in the same pale face she saw every time she looked in the mirror.

"You're me," she pronounced finally.

* * *

The air suddenly exploded with power, the darkness shredding before it like leaves before a hurricane. Daxtin and Kairi suddenly found themselves in the familiar rainy plaza before Memory's Skyscraper, with Anya standing in the center and Kyara not far from her. The young girl seemed to be struggling with herself, clutching her head as she screamed. 

"No, shut up! I don't need you!" she cried out as her face went dark, her eyes momentarily flashing yellow. "I'm king now!"

Her body shook, racked with convulsions as she fought to regain control. When her face came up, it was the pale desperate girl that Daxtin had met before the gates of the Old Mansion.

"Daxtin, help me," she pleaded. "I've figured it out. I can't just control the darkness. I have to _be_ the darkness. You know what to do."

She gasped then, falling to her knees on the wet pavement, shuddering and sobbing for breath. Then, suddenly, her breathing slowed, and she got to her feet, calmly. For a moment, Daxtin hoped. Then she looked at him, and he despaired.

"That fool," she said, sneering with contempt. Her eyes glowed a rabid yellow in the sea of darkness that was her face. "Pathetic."

"Daxtin, what did she mean?" asked Kairi quietly, backing away from the Heartless and behind him.

"I don't know!" yelled Daxtin in frustration as the dark figure approached them. "I don't know how to save her!"

The Heartless grinned viciously, fingers curling into claws as shadows rolled of it in smoky waves. Bringing one hand up, the darkness flared then coalesced into a ball of energy. Bringing its arm back, the creature coiled its legs in anticipation of bursting forwards and killing them.

"What did you mean!" demanded Daxtin loudly as the monster shot forwards.

"Inconsequential."

Kyara appeared behind the charging Heartless, kunai raised. In one swift movement, she brought it down, the blade slicing neatly through its back, stabbing right through its heart. The creature faltered, stumbling forwards as it stared in puzzlement at the steely blade sticking out of its chest. Turning, the Anti-Anya gave one confused look at Daxtin, so full of hurt and puzzlement that it seemed almost human.

"But…it's me," she gasped. The face flickered, and for a moment, the black was replaced with Anya's pale face and pleading eyes. In that moment, Daxtin knew what had to be done.

"Joiner!" he yelled, calling the white blade to his hand. Grasping it in both hands, he pointed it at the falling girl as the orb set in the blade flared with blue-green light.

Light shot from the blade, striking the girl in a blinding flash. The world flared and disappeared as the light swallowed it whole. When the glare finally faded, a figure stood in seething darkness. As they watched the blurry silhouette, the kunai stuck in her back crumbled, and then blew away like dust in an unseen wind. Her jacket and hair fluttered in the ebb and flow of her aura. Turning, she faced them with pale face and dark eyes, the only light in them the small points surrounded by encircling lines.

"Now, we are _one_," she spoke, her voice set and final. The Shadow Lance shot into existence in her hand as she turned at blocked Kyara's strike. Her eyes flashed, and the Hidden Assassin stumbled back as an unseen force tore open her shoulder in a shockwave of soundless thunder, spraying bright red blood across the plaza. The raindrops danced and scattered as she wielded her aura like an extension of her body, lashing out at her enemy in surges of darkness and shadow. Surging forwards, she dodged around summoned tendrils of darkness then appeared before the tattooed number III, the Shadow Lance already swinging.

In a flash of dark, it was over. Anya was behind her, arm and weapon raised to one side as she stood, half-crouched behind her opponent. Kyara could only turn to face her before she crumpled to her knees, the dark rain dripping down her face as she gasped her last breaths. Staring up at the one who had defeated her, she managed to spit out one last phrase before the darkness took her.

"Not…over."

* * *

Emeline watched from atop Memory's Skyscraper with a satisfied smile on her face. This was working out even better than she had hoped. This Anya was really doing much better than she expected. Daxtin was really the only one necessary to destroy the Organization, but with Anya in full control of her power, it wouldn't even be necessary of her to wipe out the remainders. It was all working out so perfectly. Looking towards the gleaming white citadel where the trio was headed, she thought about her other pieces on the board. It wouldn't be long now before her traitor showed his true colors to the rest of those black-cloaked fools. She smiled. It wouldn't be long now until checkmate. 


	25. Beginning of the End

FuriKura (Fooly Climax): That's right, with this chapter, we're fully launching down the road towards the climax. Questions will be answered, people will be killed (or just fade into darkness), and identities will be revealed!Motives and manipulations will be exposed for what they are and my see-through plot with predictable ending will be proven to be just that! YAAAY.

On another note, I've updated my homepage/thread/gallery to be in seperate sections for each book, and now includes a fan art section with two pictures courtesy of Aloria. You guys should check them out, they're great. I'll upload more of my pictures when I finish drawing all the characters...just...ummm...10 more to go. Dang.

* * *

Chapter 24: Beginning of the End

* * *

As they traveled through the Undercity, the trio encountered no more organization members until they reached the center, a glowing pit which the Castle of Naught floated above. The pavement simply ended there, leaving off with no warning into the bottomless pit. There, standing before the edge, was a black cloaked thin figure waiting for them, his face covered by a flame-etched mask backed by his flaring red hair. 

"It's you!" shouted Daxtin in surprise, recognizing the masked Organization member. "You're the one who helped me save Anya last time." Pausing, he considered the man cautiously. "What are you doing here?"

The man gave a shrug, and then snapped a gloved finger at the far off castle. At his command, a shimmering walkway extended from the end of the shattered road across the abyss into the depths of the castle. Walking forwards, Daxtin lead the trio onto the first steps of the path, testing to see if it was solid. It appeared to be.

"That was nice of him," murmured Kairi.

"Yeah, we should thank him," agreed Anya. However, when they turned, they found they were the only ones around in the dark city. The Burning Enigma was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

The inside of the Castle of Naught was empty and uncomfortably spacious. The cold white surfaces reflected harsh light from unseen sources around them, a bright contrast to the dark night outside. Here and there a variety of Nobodies lurked, ranging from the average dusks to the lowly, shape-shifting creepers, to the berserkers that had attended Maxinaeus or the dancers that served Xencarsse. Others included snipers that served the Longshot, assassins under the late number III, twisting, knife-wielding acrobats from number VI, and the strange, amorphous sorcerers. Some left them alone, but many challenged their presence there and they found themselves in multiple fights as they traversed the castle. Traveling down a white walkway, they came to a platform open to the empty outer shell of the palace, though the shimmer glare betrayed the shields that boxed them in from the long fall. As they entered, the exit behind them sealed off, and with a smooth movement, the whole floor began to move. The enormous elevator had no sensation of movement or momentum and came to a seamless halt at the upper floor. A spiraling set of metallic stair led them around a central pillar from there and up to a large, spacious room with multiple levels, surrounded with balconies and higher walkways. From where they stood on the lowest level, it seemed vulnerable in its openness. 

"Welcome," murmured a smooth, serpentine voice from one of the upper balconies, "to the Hall of Empty Melodies."

As they looked up, the black cloaked figure in the balcony above jumped, turning a flip in the air before he came to land lightly on his feet before them. He gazed at them coldly with thin, ice blue eyes from his pale face amid his wavering wisps of white hair.

"Lexyni!" shouted Daxtin, summoning Joiner and Divider to him as backed up cautiously from the Nobody. The man laughed softly at their reaction.

"So we meet again," he noted softly. "This time, I'm more than prepared to deal with you fools." Snapping his fingers, he disappeared in a flash, his cloaked form reappearing amongst them. The three of them jumped away in separate directions, but not before the pale man's gloved hand shot out, jabbing each one of them in the neck swiftly with two fingers. The trio stumbled to a halt, each of them freezing in place as the time within their bodies solidified and stopped. "Too easy."

Shrugging, he walked away from them, leaving the frozen statues in their place. Eventually some Nobodies would take care of them, or perhaps some Heartless would work their way into the castle to devour their hearts. It didn't matter. Either way, the threat was ended. If only they had put up a little more of a fight; as it was, this was just too boring.

"Light!"

Spinning around in surprise, the Blinking Acrobat watched as the beam of light struck the frozen Daxtin, unlocking his prison of time. As the boy stumbled forwards from his sudden release, he revealed his rescuer behind him. It was a young boy, with lanky brown hair threatening to cover one side of his face. In his hand he held the Keyblade.

"Kir!" exclaimed Daxtin in surprise, turning to see who had freed him. The boy gave him a smile before going wild eyed and shouting.

"Look out!" warned the young key bearer, jumping to one side. Daxtin turned and also dodged as Lexyni shot forwards, knives at the ready.

"I didn't expect another kid, so you were lucky," hissed Lexyni, glaring from one of them to the other. "But you won't get a chance to release your other friends. I'll kill you both myself." Spinning, he unleashed a wave of knives in both directions at each boy, and then lunged at Daxtin. He blurred out of sight, reappearing behind the boy, his hand already lunging towards his neck. The teenager spun around, aura blades coming up and blocking the attack with one, then swinging out with the other in a swift counterattack. The Blinking Acrobat jumped back out of the way, executing a quick flip and landing a little ways away. At that point, Kir shot in from the side as Daxtin charged forwards at him. With a snap of his fingers, VI summoned a storm of blades out of the air, shredding the two oncoming boys in a rain of steel. The two of them dodged back, their blades working in a flurry of movement to deflect the flying knives. Daxtin grunted in pain and stumbled back as a blade shot past his guard, stabbing into his shoulder deeply. As Lexyni swiftly moved forwards to take advantage of the opening, Kir shot in between them, the Kingdom Key at the ready as he stood between them.

"Even if one of us falters, the other will cover him," growled the young kid. "There's two of us, and only one of you."

"Is that so?" murmured Lexyni mildly, watching him with a dull lack of interest. His hands flew through a series of motions as he chanted lowly, his voice a deep hum that reverberated throughout the room, vibrating the high glass windows above. He finished suddenly, his arm coming down in a swift chopping motion. "Time Split!"

He shot forwards at Kir, knives at the ready. The boy readied to block the incoming attack then quickly turned as Lexyni jumped up, leaping over him to attack Daxtin. Kir cried out in pain as he was struck from behind. Falling to the floor, he scrambled to his feet as he found Lexyni standing there with his knives extended, as if he had continued with his charge.

"But, I _saw_ him jump over me," asserted the brunette in stunned confusion. He blocked again as the Blinking Acrobat shot forwards at him with frightening speed. As Daxtin ran towards him to help defend him, Lexyni suddenly split off his attack, redirecting himself at Daxtin. As both boys turned to this new course of direction, Kir gasped in agony as a knife tore through his side. Looking down, he suddenly found Lexyni there, his knife to his side there. "But how did...?"

"Quick movement attracts the eyes," explained the Organization member. As if in demonstration, he shot around to Kir's other side and the boy turned to block his next attack, only to stumble in pain as the man stabbed him in the exact same place as before. Jumping back, the key bearer found to his surprise that the Nobody hadn't even moved, still crouched where he was before. "See?" Smiling smoothly, he stood up straight and and looked from one to the other. "Even if there aren't two of me, if you _think_ there are, then that's all that matters."

Turning, he shot forwards at both boys, even though they lay in opposite directions. The two images of the pale, cold man each attacked the boys, each of them multiplying and dividing with every jump and sudden dodge until the hall was filled with images of the Blinking Acrobat.

"Only one of them's real," noted Daxtin as he slashed through one of the black cloaked figures, only for it to fade and disappear.

"But which one?" shouted Kir in frustration as he shot a volley of fireballs into the crowd. Turning, he winced as a knife flew out of the air and left a shallow cut in his arm. Suddenly, he had his answer as Lexyni slashed him in the side.

"Right here, little boy," murmured VI easily. Lashing out, he kicked the young key bearer away then disappeared into the crowd of black cloaked figures. Suddenly, he was before Daxtin, sliding under his guard and slicing at him with a swift uppercut. The boy dodged back, and Lexyni shot forwards with him, splitting into two slashing to each side. On instinct, Daxtin dodged left, wincing as the phantom blade sliced through him with no effect as the real steel whistled past his head to the right.

"I think," he said, dodging back from the black cloaked man, "I understand. You're using possible futures, splits in times to project images of yourself, of what you might do. All of these, in a sense, really _are_ you. And in that case…" He kicked out at a clone, and then jumped back, gripping the white aura blade in both hands. "Joiner!"

A beam of light shot out from the end of the blade, piercing through several images of the Nobody until it hit him square in the chest where he stood in the center of the hall. Energy swirling around him formed into a roaring vortex, sucking in the multiple figures that moved about the room. The men blurred and shot together until only one was left, all of them having been sealed together into one body.

"Now, let's do this," said Daxtin with a grin.

"Yeah!" shouted Kir in agreement as they both circled the Blinking Acrobat. They both shot in, dodging as Lexyni snapped his fingers, summoning knives out of time to attack them. Both of them closed in, Daxtin's longer strides getting him there first as he swung at the pale man swiftly, forcing him to dodge back. Lexyni turned then, blocking Kir's strike from behind and ducking under Daxtin's next strike. Even without his other images, his movements were still amazingly fast. As the two boys put on the heat, the Blinking Acrobat's moves became faster and faster, his arms blurring deep blue with time as he fought.

Everytime his aura blades clashed against Lexyni's knives, the blue-green orbs inset in the blades glowed brighter until his swinging weapons became lines of shining flame. As Daxtin attacked, his moves became faster, the aura blades taking on the same strange blue glow that enveloped number VI. Finally at his limit, Joiner and Divider burst with power as he attacked.

"Timessault!" Daxtin's form became a blur of motion as he shot around Lexyni, striking faster than the eye could follow and far faster than even the Blinking Acrobat could block. As Kir was thrown clear of the action, he watched with stunned awe as the older boy became nothing more than just a series of images all around the enemy Nobody as he struck out viciously and swiftly. Finally, Daxtin shot forwards, the time around Lexyni shattering like glass as the boy passed through, appearing behind him. "Stop!"

The cloaked Nobody fell to the ground on his knees, leaning forwards achingly slow as he fell, then stopped, frozen in place. As they watched, the man faded away in a soft tinkling light that chimed in counterpoint to the ticking of some unseen clock. And then he was gone.

"We beat him?" asked Kir with a triumphant grin on his face. Daxtin gave him a weak smile and nodded. "We beat him!"

"Hey, can you unlock Kairi and Anya now?" asked Daxtin in a friendly manner. At the boy's enthusiastic reply, he grinned. "Could have been bad without your help. Glad you came, Kir."

As the young keyblade master worked on freeing the two girls, Daxtin gazed about the hall. A glint of light caught his eyes. Too late, he recognized the scarred face of Darian, one shaded eye against the long sighting tube of his sniper rifle aimed at the young brunette.

"Kir, look out!" shouted Daxtin, turning to warn him even as the Longshot pulled the trigger. The gunshot rang out across the empty hall before Kir could even turn and react, long before Daxtin could reach him and pull him out of the way. Kairi could only watch in horror as the scene unfolded before her, and Anya, despite being so close to Kir, had no time to react as her frozen state unlocked with what seemed to be agonizing slowness.

Kir jumped back in shock and stumbled against Anya. Looking down, he saw the chipped floor where the laser arrow had struck, missing him entirely.

"But why?" he asked, all eyes going back up to the balcony where the taciturn number IV was. Standing up there, they saw another black cloaked figure had knocked the tall man's gun off target, and already the two figures were getting ready to fight.

"Who is that?" asked Anya, peering up at the high fight as they two combatents tumbled off the high balcony and onto the second story walkway.

"I don't know, but he just saved Kir's life," said Daxtin, already running across the hall for the far door. "We have to find a way up there and help him!"

* * *

After running around the outside of the Castle of Naught under the night sky lit by the heart-shaped moon, they finally found their way to the door that would lead into the upper level of the Hall of Empty Melodies. Charging ahead, Kir kicked down the door, coming face to face with the barrel of Darian's rifle. 

"I won't miss this time," assured the gunsman. Then he gave out a grunt of pain, and fell to his knees before them, before falling to the ground and fading in a swirl of darkness and space. Behind him stood a hooded figure, bleeding from several cuts and panting with exertion.

"You saved me…again," said Kir in a stunned voice as the others came up around him. The cloaked figure shrugged, and then turned to leave, opening a dark portal before him. Walking, he stepped into the corridor of darkness, but before he could leave, a hand grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Wait, don't go," pleaded Kairi, pulling him back away from the shadows. "You don't have to leave us," she told him as he freed himself from her grasp and turned to face them, all the while backing towards the portal he had opened. Kairi stopped him, wrapping her arms around his chest in a tight embrace to keep him from leaving. "You're my friend… Diant."

"Diant?" gasped Kir in shock. He ran forwards, hunching a little as he tried to peer up into the cloaked figure's hood. The hooded person turned his head this way and that to avoid his gaze until Kairi reached up and pulled back his hood. Diant's piercing blue eyes looked down helplessly at his friends. "Diant!"

As he stopped struggling to escape and the dark portal behind him collapsed, Kairi let the boy go as Kir jumped up and hugged him tightly, tears glistening in his eyes.

"Where did you go?" sobbed the young brunette, tears staining the black cloak darker as he clung tightly to the older boy. "I looked _everywhere_ for you, but I couldn't find you! Why couldn't I find you?"

"Because I didn't want to be found," replied Diant sadly, placing a hand on top of his young friend's head and ruffling his hair affectionately. "Not like this. Not as half a person. Not with my darkness."

"What are you talking about? I _missed_ you, Diant," cried Kir. "All this time, I thought you were _gone_. Why didn't you come find us?"

"I just… I couldn't face you guys," admitted the older boy with a sigh. "After all I had done… helping Ansem… and now the Organization… all of my sins… I couldn't bear to see you guys until I'd been cleansed of my sins and made whole again."

"Then what changed your mind?" asked Kairi softly, stepping forwards towards him.

"I guess it's just… that you made me see," he said uncertainly, gently prying off the younger boy as he responded. "That the reason you didn't like me anymore wasn't because what I had done, or that I was only half a person, but what I was _doing_, and what I was doing _now_. How I was hurting people for something that didn't even bother you. Hurting you. Hurting everyone." He sighed, and looked around, his gaze falling on Daxtin. Instead of his usual contempt-filled, hateful glare, it was more resigned, almost tragic. "I'm tired of hurting people. Maybe, if I help people, it'll all work out. I don't know how, but… maybe this story can have a happy ending."

"Yeah," smiled Kairi softly as Kir nodded his agreement, wiping the tears off his face with the back of his hand. Daxtin's face mirrored Diant's sad, uncertain smile; both of them felt the same way. They both weren't sure how it would, or could, but they both hoped it would all just work out.

Their attention turned as Anya softly cleared her throat and walked up to them. Her face was solemn, her eyes downcast as if she was ashamed to stand with them, intruding on their happy reunion.

"Before we go on," she began quietly as they all watched, "there's something I need to tell you guys. About who I am. About _what _I am."

* * *

Xatheron gazed up from his throne room through the high backed glass windows at the night sky and the heart-shaped moon. At Kingdom Hearts. _His_ Kingdom Hearts. 

A soft knock came at the door.

"Come in," he murmured in his smooth, mysterious voice, turning and walking back around his throne so as to face whoever came in. As he stepped out in front of the ornate, high-backed chair, the door opened, revealing VIII as the man silently padded into the room, walking casually up to the dais. "Hello, Roxtarit. And have the intruders been eliminated yet?"

The masked man shook his head.

"I see," sighed the dark skinned sorcerer. "And how many have they defeated?"  
"Lexyni and Darian," replied the Burning Enigma shortly.

"Hmph. No matter. I'm sure the others can take care of them," supposed Xatheron easily, shrugging off the threat. "And what are you here for?"

"Actually," said Roxtarit, stepping right in front of him, "I'm here for you."

And then he rammed his burning chakram right into the Superior's heart.


	26. The Truth Revealed

Sashiburi danaa: (Long time, no see) Yeah, Ein (my lapdo-er, laptop) had viro-lepro-plague, so I had to spend the weekend backing up my files, then wiping the hard disk clean and reinstalling everything. He works fine now, but the backups I made were corrupted. I managed to rescue the outline for MoN and related materials, but I lost the actual word file for it, so although most all chapters are published, I lost what little I had already written of chapter 25. But it's all fine now, and here's the next chapter. Also, I highly recomment the anime "The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi" to everyone; it's friggin' great. Additionally, Aloria recently made some KHII music videos that you can view on YouTube, and they're pretty good. One's serious, the other's a comedy. Something infinitely funny about Saix wanting to be a lumberjack. I would pay to see him sing the whole song.

* * *

Chapter 25: The Truth Revealed

* * *

Xatheron sputtered and coughed up blood as he stared with shocked wide eyes at his assailant. Roxtarit merely tilted his head curiously as he eyed him from behind his white mask. The only sound was the hissing sizzle as blood drained down his burning weapon, filling the air with an acrid smoke that left the salty iron tang of blood on his tongue. 

"Why?" gasped the Superior, staring up at him with disbelieving eyes. "Why would you betray us?"

"Aw, jeez," muttered the Burning Enigma, shaking his head and holding it in one hand, as though he was disappointed. "You just don't get it, do you? Man, I thought it'd be obvious by now. You guys are seriously pathetic. Back when I originally joined, it was practically the Organization's official pastime to figure out anagrams. But from your surprise, I guess you dimwits never tried it, huh? It's so obvious!" He laughed hard, throwing back his head and then kicking the dark sorcerer off his chakram, the man slamming hard against his throne, splattering its white face crimson with blood. "Just take out the X, rearrange it… 'Roxtarit' spells 'Traitor'. How much more obvious could it be? You guys are totally blank with a capitol 'B'. I mean, Kensuke's the only one who figured it out, and he doesn't really count, you know?"

"But…why?" asked Xatheron before coughing wetly, spraying the front of his black cloak with blood. "Why would you do this?"

"Hey, mistress's orders," he replied flippantly, shrugging his shoulders.

"Who..?" murmured Xatheron, stumbling to get to his feet, and then falling back .

"You sure ask a lot of questions," noted Roxtarit, spinning his weapons around on his hands. They stopped as he grabbed them suddenly, bringing them up into position. "Now die."

"You can't kill me!" shouted the Superior desperately, scrabbling at his bloody seat to try and get up. "Do you know who I am? _What_ I am? I'm No Heart! I will not be denied! You can't possibly kill a being like me!"

"Yeah, you're right," admitted the masked assassin with a shrug. "I'm not one empowered to destroy No Heart's earthly vessel. Unless, of course, his next incarnation is already present."

"What do you mean?" he asked, normally calm eyes wild with alarm and panic.

"He means me," said a smooth, confident voice from the shadows. A young girl with long, almost white blonde hair walked out, revealing herself and her cold blue eyes. Emeline smiled. "Hello again. This time, I'll make sure to kill you."

* * *

"As you know, I am a Heartless," started Anya softly. She paused, looking from face to face, and finding their attention fully on her, she flushed a little and continued on. "That would imply that I have a Nobody also. While running away from Emeline, and also helping Daxtin, I've been searching for that person. I know who they are now." She stopped, silence filling the air as they waited for her to speak. "Emeline isn't my sister. She's my Nobody." 

"But you two are nothing alike," commented Kairi.

"Neither are Daxtin and I," replied Diant with a shrug.

"Wait, that doesn't make sense," interrupted Daxtin. "I mean, if she's your other half, or from her view, you're her other half, then why would she let you run around free? Wouldn't she want to capture you and make herself whole?"

"First of all, I'm nothing like her because she created me that way; she wanted a subordinate, not another contender. Secondly, she separated herself willingly," explained Anya.

"Is that possible?" questioned Kir curiously.

"And why would she?" asked Daxtin.

"For what I'm to tell you to have any perspective," started Anya, "I'll first have to make clear what she is. What I am. What _we_ are. Emeline and I, we aren't normal beings. We aren't just a girl who happened to be separated. You see, our true name… our true name is…"

* * *

"Xenthora," murmured the masked Nobody in mild surprise, looking over at her. "Didn't think you'd actually show up in person." 

"I decided to oversee things personally," she replied softly as she walked over. She looked down at the injured and bleeding form of Xatheron and smiled viciously. "You look so pathetic. If you were anything more than a tool, I'd have written a better ending for you. I guess this'll have to do then." She turned back to Roxtarit then. "Are you still wearing that ridiculous mask? Take it off."

"Huh? Oh, sorry," he apologized, reaching up and plucking the white façade off with one gloved hand. He shook out his hair and took a deep breath once it was off, grinning widely as he gazed about with luminous green eyes. "Got used to it, but it's nice to feel the fresh air now."

"That's better," commented Emeline approvingly, "Axel."

* * *

"Xenthora?" they asked in confusion. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" demanded the impatient Diant.

"It's an anagram," replied Daxtin calmly, folding his arms before his chest as he thought it out. "If you take out the 'X', it spells 'No Heart'. Just like Xehanort."

"Or Xatheron," added Kairi.

"That's right," nodded Anya solemnly. "Emeline, that is, Xenthora, is No Heart. That's why she seeks Kingdom Hearts. She thinks it will make her whole or something. Even if I'm combined with her, we're still just No Heart. An incomplete being. So, instead of struggling on her own, she created the current Organization XIII, or rather, shaped its being from the shadows. While they manipulated Kir into destroying the Heartless and freeing the hearts for them, she manipulated them into creating Kingdom Hearts for her."

"And where do you come in?" asked Diant suspiciously.

"She needed an agent that would be directly on her side, so as to destroy the Organization once she's done with it. In her eyes, I'm just another tool, not her other half. She's tried this before, but each time, for various reasons, her creations… that is, my incarnations… have gone awry, or somehow failed. Whether they lacked the will to live, or they submitted to their nature as a Heartless and became useless as a piece in her game, the previous incarnations were failures. She told me that I'm the seventeenth one." Anya paused, and then sighed. Looking off to one side sadly, she drew a breath and then continued. "That's why I have no memory before the moment when I was running to escape her. Because that's when I was first born. She'd created no memories for me, other than the knowledge of who and what I was, and that she was my sister. Looking back, she's been carefully manipulating me, prodding and pushing, nurturing and pruning me to grow to be the weapon capable and willing to destroy the Organization."

"So if we stop Organization XIII, we'd just be helping her?" asked Kairi in a stunned voice. Anya nodded sadly.

"It still needs to be done," asserted Kir, his face surprisingly serious. "Even though every Heartless I slay helps the Organization, I can't just let them run free. Similarly, even if Emeline, or rather, Xenthora, wants us to destroy the Organization, we still need to stop them."

"Okay, so this has all been a game of manipulation," summarized Daxtin. "The Organization has been using Kir, and they played on Diant's guilt to get him to join their cause. Additionally, they tried to use Kairi to further manipulate Kir. Before that, Kairi got swept into this practically by chance. And Anya is Emeline's avatar in the world to catalyze the downfall of Organization XIII." He paused then, and looked straight into the young girl's eyes with his piercing gaze. "Then why am I here?"

She looked away, her eyes downcast and sorrowful. "That's the one thing I didn't want to have to answer," she whispered softly. "Daxtin, your whole life is a lie."

"What…what do you mean?" he asked, stumbling over his words in his shock.

"All your memories. Everything about you. It's a fictitious personality and past written up by Emeline to occupy you in Twilight Town until she needed you. As a Nobody, you've existed for only two months, maybe three at most. You were created after Diant succumbed to Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, and he was lost to the darkness. All your memories of growing up in the orphanage and playing with friends except among the past few months were completely fabricated. The other people in your life had their minds rewritten by Emeline to accept your presence. Had you questioned them, they would realize that they didn't have any memories about you before a few months ago, though they'd assure anyone who asked that they'd known you since you first were found by the orphanage as a small child. Emeline overwrote any memories you would have had as Diant and instead made you a citizen of Twilight Town so she'd know exactly where you were until she wanted you. You see, the other reason I've succeeded this time, as opposed to past incarnations of me, is because of you. Once or twice before, other Anyas that she created from her darkness did indeed realize their full potential and power, as I have, but still were not enough to destroy the Organization. This time, however, she will succeed. Somehow, you're special."

"What do you mean, special?" questioned Daxtin.

"After studying you, she found something odd: you weren't like other Nobodies. While Nobodies act like they have feelings, they can't really have emotions, as they have no hearts. It's simply impossible. What happens is that they act on memories of emotions, thereby appearing to have feelings. For instance, if you punched a Nobody in the face, he would, by memory, know that this sort of action would make him angry, and therefore, he acts angry. Despite this, it isn't true anger, just the subconscious simulation of anger as based on their knowledge and memories. However, when Emeline rewrote your memories, she entirely wiped your brain down to the motor functions and language skills. You should have had no memories of your feelings, and having no heart, should have been as good as emotionless. Despite this, after a first numb, if slightly confused day, you appeared to be a normal person. You showed emotions and responses normal to humans. Originally, she hypothesized that you were just learning emotions from those around you, but you were picking up proper usage and expression at an extraordinary rate, along with expressing emotions that she knew you hadn't witnessed. At times, it almost seemed like you had a heart. After my arrival, once you left Twilight Town and met Kairi, you've begun to show an even more wide variety of emotions and reactions. When she told me this, in her palace on Kami, she noted that she hesitated to still classify you as a Nobody. There is no doubt in her, that is, _our_ mind that with you, the downfall of the Organization is assured. The truth is she's afraid of you. From the beginning, everything has been carefully planned and orchestrated, but you're a wildcard that's been thrown into the mix. If everything follows plan, then the Organization forms Kingdom Hearts, we destroy the Organization, and then she comes in, reabsorbs me, takes Kingdom Hearts and then becomes the ultimate power. Everything is carefully calculated. But if there's anyone who can stop her, it's you, Daxtin." She looked up at him helplessly, her eyes wide and watery. "You may have to destroy me, when the time comes. But you can't let Xenthora win. No matter what. You're the only one, Daxtin. I'm counting on you."

The boy paused and backed away, his head spinning from it all. It seemed all so unbelievable, yet it all made sense. After all, if he was Diant's Nobody, how could he possibly be more than a few months old? He couldn't possibly have lived his whole life in Twilight Town. So all his memories, even his concept of who he was, was fake. Did that mean his feelings were fake? His friendship? How he felt about everyone? About Kairi?

He looked about from one face to another helplessly, trying to find answers hidden in their faces. Anya's was sorrowful, downcast as if ashamed at what she had told them. Kir's was a little confused, but determined nonetheless. Diant's countenance was distant, a forced blank expression that betrayed no emotion as he dared not show any joy at knowing his Nobody was just that, yet not truly feeling any pity for him either. Then his eyes came to Kairi. His expression was lost, pleading for an answer. She stared at him a little sadly, and then stepped towards him and rested a gentle hand on his shoulder. And then she smiled.

Daxtin smiled back.

"Right, then," he said confidently, straightening up and starting off across the walkway to the opposite door. "I don't care what anyone says or thinks. I'm going to stop Organization XIII, and I'm going to stop Emeline too, no matter what. Let's do this!"

* * *

Emeline stared coldly at the bloody mess that had once been Xatheron. She smiled with satisfaction. 

"Now, for your part of the deal, witch," hissed Axel, turning his hard emerald glare on her. He held his burning weapons out to the side loosely, ready to attack. "Where's Roxas?"

"Hmm?" she murmured quietly. "Whatever made you think I have Roxas?"

"You bitch, you promised to give me Roxas!" he shouted angrily. "You showed him to me, you said you had him!"

"Oh, you mean this?" she asked mildly, raising a hand. A tall piece of paper materialized between her fingers, displaying the picture of a young blonde boy in white clothing. Axel almost leapt forwards, stopping only as she raised the picture away warningly. Smiling, she the looked up at it before snapping the fingers of her other hand. The picture faded, and then the paper disintegrated into flaky gray ashes that drifted down like snow. "It's just a picture. Did you really think I had him? The fact that I found your soul, floating around in the darkness after five-hundred years was by pure chance. I didn't find you side by side with your precious Roxas," she sneered. "All I did was peek inside your head before waking you up to see what your most precious memory was, so I could know what to motivate you with. That how I found out about him."

"So… you mean…" he sputtered in a shocked voice.

"Yup. I don't even know who Roxas is, much less know where to find him," shrugged Xenthora. She looked at him, and then laughed, a short contemptuous bark rather than her regular lilting giggle. "You look pathetic. But it's not surprising. You've killed and destroyed and fought all for me and only to find that I never had what you wanted all along. It's almost tragic." She smiled wickedly then. "So let me put you out of your misery."


	27. Final Proof

Jar of Dirt: Saw Pirates this past weekend. Good movie; if you haven't seen it, you should. I have a new favorite quote: "I've got a jar of dirt, I've got a jar of dirt!" - Captain Sparrow.

Also, I've figured out why Exeamine and Co. were so popular: it's the three-girl dynamic present in the Gullwings, or Haruhi's group (The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi) or Nodoka's group (Negima). There's three personalities. The Assertive/Leader: a person either pushy, or at least with leadership material; they tend to lead the group, for better or worse. This would be Exeamine, Yuna, Haruhi, or Paru. Then's the Cute one: this can be in any number of forms, from shy to perky. This would be Fuuen, Rikku, Mikuru, or Nodoka. Last is the Quiet/Calm one. They tend to be the cool one of the group, little spoken, logical, the cool head in hot situations. This would be Maieri, Paine, Yuki, or Yue. Over all, Haruhi's group is the most exagerated version of this dynamic, but it's present in a lot of manga and anime, unconsciously or whatever. Something like that.

* * *

Chapter 26: Final Proof

* * *

They came then into the graveyard of memories, a solemn place of twelve standing tomb stones each glowing blue and engraved with the symbol of the Organization, the combined cross and upside-down heart. Below each was a large plaque bearing a name and silhouette of a weapon on a glowing background. Most were red. Only one was still blue. 

"What is this place?" asked Kairi as they looked about warily.

"This is our Proof," came a smooth, melodious voice. Turning to the source, they watched as the first tombstone's glowing blue inside shimmered within its frame and a black cloaked figure stepped out. From behind his long locks of sea-green hair, Xencarsse smiled at them almost sadly. "Our Proof of Existence."

"You again!" shouted Daxtin, drawing Joiner and Divider. The musician ignored him as he looked about the room.

"It's almost sad. These empty graves, never to be filled," he murmured. He turned then and looked down at them. "Each one turns red as our members are eliminated. Until this room glows crimson, you cannot pass."

"Yo, Three-String! Does it look like I'm dead?" yelled Diant belligerently.

"You've betrayed our order. To us, you _are _dead," replied the River Walker, turning and walking back to his sole cerulean doorway. "If you really intend to stop us, you'll have to follow me. See you there."

And then he disappeared.

For a moment, there was only silence, and then Kir spoke.

"It's a trap, isn't it?" he stated.

"Of course it's a trap," sneered Diant contemptuously. "Could that waterlogged idiot be any more obvious?"

"But it's not like we have a choice," Anya pointed out logically. "He can afford to be obvious."

"So we follow him?" asked Kairi. Daxtin nodded, and then started forward up the slope to Xencarsse's portal. Without looking back, he stepped inside.

* * *

Much to his surprise, instead of a bleak dungeon or open balcony like he expected, Daxtin found himself in a spacious, well-lit white room. Various stringed instruments hung from one wall, ranging from a violin down to an electric bass guitar. The opposite wall was dominated by a large organ, its twisted pipes and workings going up and through the ceiling. Sheets of music and a veritable snowstorm of photos littered about the floor, almost obscuring the pale white marble. At the far end stood a simple bed on iron bedposts with sheer white sheets. On it sat Xencarsse, his head lowered as he ran his fingers up the neck of his Sitar. 

A single, lonely bass note rung out, reverberating through the room.

"This isn't really a good place to fight," pointed out Daxtin bluntly.

"Who said we were going to fight?" replied the musician calmly, not even bothering to look up as he tuned his instrument.

"If you won't, then we will," said the boy, drawing his weapons as he approached.

"What 'we'? You're alone," stated the Nobody simply. Daxtin looked behind him in surprise, finding only a blank wall with nothing other than the empty frame that matched the portal he had gone through to get here.

"Well, then I'll finish you off myself!" he shouted, charging forwards. Without even looking up, Xencarsse raised a hand with a slight gesture of his fingers. As he did, water shot up from the floor, engulfing the teenage boy and then forming around him into a floating liquid prison. Trapped in the bubble of levitating water, Daxtin tried to struggle or swim his way out, to no avail. He was trapped.

Panicking, he swung ineffectively with his weapons, trying to break the hold of the watery confines as he tried to hold his breath. As he began to run out of air, his aura blades disappeared as he half-swam, half-clutched his throat. He stared in rage and fear as the musician calmly sat at his bed, not even watching as he continued to polish and perfect his sitar. Finally, unable to hold it any longer, Daxtin gasped, the air from his lungs floating up in big wavering bubbles that popped as they reached the outside edge of the circle. Finally despairing, the boy went limp, floating in place as he hovered in the center of his liquid prison. His eyes closed, and able to hold it no longer, he drew in one final breath.

And found he could breathe.

Looking about in surprise, he found himself able to breathe the water around him as easily as if it were air. As far as he could tell, there was no problem. At least with that part of his situation. He looked over at the musician in curiosity.

"Ready to listen?" asked Xencarsse, finally looking up. Daxtin nodded quickly. "That's good." He paused then, considering his words. "I don't use this in battle, because it takes almost all my concentration to maintain. Just not practical. Also, making it breathable is extra. Appreciate it." The boy nodded frantically, showing that he very much appreciated being allowed to breath. "Now, let me tell you a little about myself."

Daxtin made no movement to the contrary; he felt he didn't really have any say in the matter.

"When I was young," he started, plucking another low bass note that echoed throughout the room, causing ripples in the water ball that trapped Daxtin, "when I was still whole, I was apprenticed to a sorcerer. I don't even recall the name of the world we lived on. But no matter. What matters is that when I was ten years old, during the dead of winter, in a terrible snowstorm, we found a young boy, a year or two older than me, half-dead and nearly frozen outside our door. Pulling him inside, the master and I dried him off and got him into the single bed in the tower; I slept on the floor. A few hours after warming up in front of the fire, the boy woke up. He was starving. After we fed him some of our meager fare, he told us his name, Xatheron. He had no memory of his past. For that matter, he seemed to have no recollection of social or emotional interactions; it was like raising a baby that could already walk and talk, but had no experience with other people, or for that matter, with himself. Despite this, or perhaps because of his unique personality, my master took him in as another apprentice. Xatheron, despite the handicap of starting with no knowledge at all, quickly surpassed me. He learned at an almost supernatural rate, voraciously devouring my master's teachings as if to fill the void of his memories.

"He was quiet, calm and logical, a near opposite to me in those days, as I was the passionate, carefree musician. Predictably, we became fast friends anyway. When I was sixteen, our apprenticeship was declared over. The two of us continued to study with the master for three or four years after that point, until he had nothing more to teach us. Xatheron wasn't satisfied. He still didn't know as much as he wanted to, especially about the subject of the heart. For some reason, the idea and concept of the human heart, how it could transcend logic, fascinated him. When our master could provide no further answers to his question, Xatheron extracted more knowledge from the man's body and own heart, our master's final lesson.

"When he was done, and the captured heart of our former master finally dissipated into wherever it was that hearts go, we left the tower. Using the magic we had learned, we razed it to the ground, leaving no trace of our being there. It was then that our quest to find the true nature of hearts began.

"Shortly after that, the barrier between the worlds came down. Meteors fell from the sky. After studying the fallen blocks, we found they could be used to build ships that could travel between worlds. Using these, we then went from world to world, seeking out those of knowledge and power. Each new teacher taught us more, yet not enough to satisfy Xatheron. Each new tutor taught us their final lesson in the same manner as my first master.

"Through years of study, we found that hearts, when separated from the body, became engulfed in the darkness. But what happened to them then? To find out, Xatheron hypothesized that the only way was to follow them, to give our own hearts to the darkness.

"This was a mistake.

"A person is made of heart, body and soul. When the heart leaves, it retains feelings. But it is the body and soul that maintain consciousness, thought, and memory. Our hearts, once released to the darkness, left us. Faded into darkness. When we awoke, it was here, this non-existence, this world that never was, never is, and never will be. Without our hearts, I found myself calmer, more directed. I no longer was a slave to my unruly heart. Xatheron didn't seem to change much.

"Here, we grew and learned. Records in this castle taught us what we were, Nobodies. And we could only find our hearts and be whole again in the final heart, the great heart, Kingdom Hearts. So began our new quest, to obtain this power.

"Gradually, others trickled in. The first was Kyara. I don't even know where she came from. One day it was just the two of us, then the next day Kyara was walking around the place and talking, or rather, not talking, with us, as if she'd been there all along. As Xatheron explained our purpose, she quickly joined our cause. She was the opposite of us, a heart with no body, engulfed in darkness. So she too desired Kingdom Hearts, perhaps to make herself whole, or maybe for power; we never questioned her too closely.

"The next of our number was Darian. A mercenary. He told nothing of his past, and asked nothing of ours. Once he knew that we wanted Kingdom Hearts, he offered his services, just like that. He was whole, yet for some reason, he still wanted to help us. He wouldn't even answer Xatheron about why he wanted to help us.

"Fifth of our number was Kensuke. Another whole person. He claimed to join us for the knowledge, though it seemed unlikely given his childish attitude. However, he was an expert swordsman, so we accepted him. He later proved to be learned and quick of mind. Though he claims to have joined us to for knowledge and the wisdom of Kingdom Hearts, I have to wonder what his true purpose was.

"Next was Lexyni, another Nobody. He cared less about obtaining his heart, and more about power. He played loyal, honey-tongued flunky to Xatheron, ever hoping to gain favor and power. I don't doubt he would have betrayed us in the end to have the power of Kingdom Hearts all for himself.

"Seventh was Griever. The man stated that it was his own business why he wanted Kingdom Hearts. From observing him, I think it was a woman.

"After that was the twins, Keilhix and Ninext. The two were ambitious Nobodies who saw this as an opportunity to not only restore themselves, but also become rulers of worlds. Smart, quick, and strong, they would have gone far.

"If not for Roxtarit. The man appeared from nowhere, stating simply that he was now number VIII of our organization. Unfortunately, this was a number already taken by on of the twins. Roxtarit, however, solved this simply by killing both of them. Maxinaeus, our number X at the time, declined challenge and let the Nobody take the number, and took the position of IX behind him. After this, nobody ever questioned the Burning Enigma.

"The Stoic Defender joined our ranks not long before Roxtarit did. Of all of us, he had the most altruistic reason. He simply wanted to restore his home and live in peace. Never mind that this required him to destroy countless other lives and worlds.

"In quick succession, we were joined by Exeamine, Fuuen, and Maieri. Speaking for their ground, Exeamine openly declared that they wanted Kingdom Hearts for the sole purpose of becoming all powerful and ruling the universe.

"And then was Diant."

The musician paused then, taking a moment to check and tune his instrument. When he continued, his voice had lost the explanatory, historical tone; now it was quiet, regretful.

"I am the last of our order. All because of that witch, Emeline," he hissed lowly. "I want you to avenge us. I have given you our history, and now, as the last member of Organization XIII, I give you my power, so that you may destroy her."

The water prison shattered, splashing on the ground in all direction as Daxtin was dropped unceremoniously on the hard white floor. When the boy stood, he blocked instinctively as the River Walker threw out his hands at him, hurling a glowing sphere of blue. To the boy's surprise, it passed right through his arms, and then embedded in his chest, dissipating with a rushing feeling of power and energy. When he looked up, Xencarsse was watching him, smiling sadly. Around him, bubbles of water on updrafts of darkness floated off him, his outline fading as he became indistinct in the updraft of darkness and essence.

"You know, in another life," murmured the musician softly, "we might have been friends." Before Daxtin could respond, the man had faded away completely, leaving nothing but a final humming note.

And then the room winked out of existence.

* * *

Xenthora looked down with satisfaction at the two bloody corpses that lay at her feet. Turning, she was only momentarily surprised to find another black cloaked figure, this one standing in the doorway, considering her with a tilted head. 

"Well, well, well," murmured a playful voice as the man walked forwards. "I wondered who Roxtarit was working for. I guess it all makes sense now." He paused then, looking down at the bodies, then back at the young girl who stood over them. "I like you better than Xatheron. But then, I didn't like him much at all. And you don't rate much higher."

"You all are babbling fools, aren't you?" insisted the girl with an annoyed tone of voice. "I was sure my pawns would have taken care of you, but it seems they missed one." She smiled then, a vicious grin spreading across her face as she raised her arms. "Guess I'll have to clean up."

"A fight? _Yare, yare_," mumbled the cloaked figure, drawing his sword. "And I though we could settle this peacefully."

He grinned a fox-like grin, and the battle began.

* * *

Daxtin stumbled, and fell, warm arms catching him and holding him up as he regained his feet. Blinking in confusion, he found himself looking up into Kairi's smiling face. 

"Daxtin! I'm so glad you're okay," she exclaimed happily. He smiled back weakly before standing and stepping back from her embrace. "What happened?"

"After you walked in, the portal went blank," explained Anya simply. "We though he had trapped you, and you were done for sure."

"Doesn't seem that way," pointed out Diant, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder a the glowering red tombstone.

"You totally beat him up, didn't you?" shouted Kir excitedly. "Man, I always miss the cool stuff!"

"Um, yeah," replied Daxtin, not really sure what to say. How was he supposed to explain that the last member of Organization XIII had committed suicide? Pondering this, he jumped in shock as a frightening epiphany revealed itself to him. "If he's the last member… then there's no one left between Emeline and Kingdom Hearts!"

"What? What do you mean?" asked Kairi frantically.

"Xencarsse said that he was the last one," he explained already running up the stairs out of the Proof. "If that's true, then we have to stop Emeline, I mean, Xenthora, right now! We're the last ones left to oppose her!"

* * *

They finally came to the top of the castle, the final Altar of Naught that stood before the perfect shape of Kingdom Hearts. Only one person was standing there, a young girl with long blonde hair holding a book. 

"Hello," she murmured, not even bothering to turn and face them as she gazed up at the heart-shaped moon. "Took you long enough to get here."

"Xenthora!" yelled Daxtin, drawing his aura blades. "This ends now!" Behind him, the others assembled in various battle stances with weapons drawn.

"Yes, I guess it does," she replied easily. She turned then and smiled viciously. "For you." She brought up her book in both hands and opened it towards them. Inky darkness rolled off the pages in an engulfing wave towards them. Before they could move, the shadows were upon them, and before the world went black, they heard one last thing from their captor. "They say… you are your own worst enemy."


	28. Face Your Darkside

Hey: Today, we tie up a few more mysteries. Seriously, how many people saw which twists coming? Like the Axel thing. Or whatever.

Kensuke Index:

Sumimasen: excuse me/ sorry

Ano..: um...

Tabun: probably

Wakata: Understand?

* * *

Chapter 27: Face Your Darkside

* * *

The scene froze before her eyes. The stark contrast of the cloudy black sky over the white castle and the pale blonde girl before them, bathed in the glow of the heart shaped moon, as she held forth her book of power. And then darkness surrounded them. Crying out, she reached for her friends only to see them wink out one by one like snuffed candles. 

And then Kairi was alone.

* * *

Kir turned in the darkness, trying to find anyone, any_thing_ at all. All around, nothing but black. Then, movement. He watched in horrified fascination as the shadows coalesced before him, only visible by their movement in the darkness. The form grew larger and larger until it filled his vision. By outline, he could make out wavering tendrils of darkness above a massive body with large, muscled arms. A heart-shaped hole gaped open below two glowing yellow eyes. 

He recognized this figure. He had seen it once before, and only once before, but even so, he would never forget it. The day he had seen it, he first obtained the keyblade. The day he had seen it, his home had been swallowed by the darkness, and his whole world he had known had been plunged into chaos.

He gripped his weapon tighter, and fear gripped his heart.

* * *

Anya paused. She could sense it behind her. Afraid to move, she could only stand in fear as the giant heartless loomed large behind her. She could feel its hungry yellow eyes, those cold glowing orbs digging into the back of her head with its stare. Finally unable to stand it any longer, she turned around to face the monster she knew stood there. 

Instead she found herself face to face with a young, defenseless looking girl with large black eyes and short black hair that came down to her jaw and framed her boyish pale face. She wore a crumpled black suit with white shirt and tie and a hurt, lost expression on her face.

"Who… what are you?" asked Anya cautiously. The girl before her frowned and looked away, shuffling her feet in embarrassment.

"You don't know?" she replied quietly. She looked up then with pleading eyes. "I'm you. Anya. Really, truly you."

"What do you mean?" said the dark girl questioningly. She gasped in shock as the girl disappeared, replaced by the towering figure of the Darkside Heartless before the image changed again. She was left staring at the form of a dirty gym bag lying on the shadowy ground before her. Curiosity overcoming her fear, she walked over to it. Squatting down in front of the bag, she inspected it momentarily before grasping the zipper in the pale hand and slowly pulling it open. She didn't have to use her other hand; the bag stayed in place, weighted down by whatever it contained.

Her breath caught in her throat when the bag finally revealed its grisly contents.

Several disembodied heads lay inside, staring in various directions with the glazed look of the dead. Dried blood was crusted across their features. This, however, was not the most shocking part. The most disturbing thing was they all had faces she knew. The same face that she saw every time she looked in a mirror.

One of the heads blinked and looked up at her.

"I'm you. All of you," said the face in the bag. "Every one of you."

Anya screamed.

* * *

Diant watched with detached boredom as the darkness formed before him into the large, familiar shape of his Darkside Heartless. As the creature loomed above him, he drew his weapons lazily and stared up with confidence. 

"Is this supposed to scare me?" he asked incredulously. "It's just a big Heartless made form my darkness. Kinda goofy-looking."

The giant incarnation of darkness blinked slowly at him, and then twisted, as if it were being sucked down a drain, curling in on itself as it became as water, rushing to fill the mold of a shape superimposed on it before him. The darkness filled in the outline, becoming the grinning form of a young boy with dirty-blonde hair and a smirking grin. His piercing blue eyes gazed out at Diant with confidence that bordered on arrogance. He wore a familiar jacket, shirt and pants ensemble, the same that Diant used to wear back on the islands.

"Is this better?" hissed the dark figure, his eyes an inverted yellow-pupils-on-black. He laughed wickedly. "You've committed a lot of sins, little boy. Time to pay for them."

* * *

Daxtin stared in horror at the figure forming before him. It was happening all over again, the same as that first day when his fake life ended and this_adventure_ began. Blue ribbons of scarf wavered in the air above the distorted white body that stared down with its featureless face, the cross and reverse heart seeming accusing of him. The Twilight Thorn twisted and warped before him as it slid closer, step by humongous step. 

But why should he be worried? After all, he'd beaten it before. It was all the same. And yet… and yet…

He knew that wasn't true. As he had grown stronger, so had this. For this white thing, this creature of nothing, was him. They were both beings of the twilight. And here, on the cusp of light and dark, they were in their element. The difference between them was that Daxtin still wanted to be a normal person, not accepting that he was just a Nobody. The monster before him had no such delusions.

* * *

Kairi looked about. Still in the darkness, there was no one else. 

"Hello?" she called out tentatively. "Where is everyone?"

No one responded, not even an echo. Looking around, she could see nothing, just the continuing flat land of shadows. Then came a voice.

"Hmph. I forgot. As a Princess of Heart, you have no darkness. That's disappointing."

There was a pause in Emeline's familiar voice as the blonde girl pondered what to do next, wherever she was. Kairi couldn't see her.

"How shall I kill you?"

Kairi shrunk back as a dark portal opened before her, the shadows roiling in shades of black and deep violet. However, instead of the young sorceress of paper, a dark cloaked figure stepped out, his hood thrown back exposing spiky blonde hair and a grinning smirk on his fox-like face.

"_Sumimasen_, but I don't think I can let you do that," murmured the man flippantly to the darkness surrounding them. Looking back over his shoulder, he flashed the red head a smile.

"It's you," gasped Kairi, looking up at him. "You've come to save me again."

"Well you seem to need it enough," shrugged Kensuke helplessly. "I didn't really want to get involved after that breaking you out of prison incident; I couldn't have you thinking me a gallant knight. But here I am. Of course, with the Organization as it is, I'm not sure it matters if I show my true colors."

"You fox-faced bastard," hissed Emeline's voice from all directions. "I thought I killed you."

"You should be more careful about things like that," replied the Lightning Lord blandly. He turned then back to Kairi. "Well, _Ojou-chan_, let's be off." Then, giving one final look to the surrounding darkness, he added, "_Ja ne_."

And then they stepped through the corridor of darkness and were gone.

* * *

Anya's scream was suddenly cut off in a gasping halt as she felt a jagged claw against her throat. She fell silent and tense at the evil presence behind her. 

"Every aspect of you that is or has been," hissed the dark Anya behind her. "Your darkness, your weakness… those of you that died, only to be reborn yet again. That is what we are."

She was spun around harshly to face her assailant, the claw at her throat leaving a long bloody gash across her neck. Anya found herself face to face once again with her darkness, the sinister grinning mirror of her own self.

"You don't remember," murmured the Anti-Anya, "but I do. I remember every incarnation we've had. The people we've killed. The people who killed us. Emeline disassembles these memories every time you return to her, but here, in darkness, it all lines up."

"We're so close now," gasped one of the heads in the bag. When Anya turned to face them, she once again found herself facing the young shy girl she had first seen. "Help us reconnect the links. Bound by our chain of memories, we can overcome Emeline. Then, _we_ can be Xenthora."

"The ultimate King," hissed the dark girl. The Anya in between turned from one to the other, unsure, lost. Her head hurt. "Just let go. Fade away into the darkness. _Become _the darkness."

She fell to the ground, her hands clutching her aching head as the voices of the darkness hissed their sibilant whispers about her.

* * *

"_Ano_…it's around here somewhere," mumbled the black cloaked Kensuke as he looked about in the darkness, before adding, "_tabun_."

Kairi had been waiting patiently, but as the minutes ticked by, she had to speak up.

"What are you looking for?" she demanded irritably. "My friends are in trouble, I just know it!"

"Ah, here it is," exclaimed the former number VI in a pleased tone of voice. Smiling, he turned back to her with a bright expression. "If I'm to save your friends, I need you to close your eyes, okay?"

"Why?" she asked innocently.

"Just do it," he replied with an easy smile. Obediently, she closed her eyes and pulled her hands over her face.

There was a soft tinkling sound and a flash of light that even her closed eyes couldn't block out, followed by silence. For a while she waited, but when she heard no further noise, she peeked out from behind her fingers at the slim back of Kensuke, standing their wielding a weapon that she couldn't quite make out in the bright glow, pointing a beam of light at a glowing keyhole in the air in front of him. There was a loud click, then a blinding flash of light.

* * *

Daxtin stumbled as he met no resistance to his swing. Looking about, he found himself back atop the stark castle, standing at the Altar of Naught with the others. The darkness had receded, leaving them in a land of white and black, under the midnight glow of Kingdom Hearts. 

"You didn't see that," murmured a smooth, playful voice. It came from the smiling face of a black cloaked blonde looking over his shoulder at Kairi.

"What was that?" she asked in a stunned voice.

"I said, you didn't see that," repeated Kensuke with a smile. "_Wakata_?"

"Who are you?" asked Daxtin, walking over to them cautiously.

"Precisely what I want to know," interrupted Emeline. "I beat you within an inch of your life, transferred you onto paper, and then shredded said paper, obliterating each scrap as I went. You shouldn't have had a dead corpse left, much less be standing here, defying me," she fumed angrily. Snarling, she asked, "Who the _hell_ are you?"

"No one in particular," he replied blandly. "Just the younger brother of the Seeker of Darkness, heir to the throne of Radiant Garden, and son of King Ansem. That's all." He focused his glare on the blonde girl before him, the smile gone from his face. "My name's Riku. And I'm here to stop you."

That said, he raised his gloved hand, summoning his angled blade to his side as he strode forwards. However, as he raised his arm to strike, a dark figure shot in place between him and Emeline.

"This is my battle," hissed Anya, the Shadow Lance smoking in her grip. Riku, formerly Kensuke of the Organization, merely shrugged and backed off.

"You can't defy me," laughed Emeline. "You're _me_. I control you."

The young blonde threw out her hand at her Other, her eyes flashing black with pinpricks of light in the center, surrounded by lines of white. An invisible blast of power rolled across the top of the tower, blasting back the others. Anya, however, stood strong, tightly gripping the Shadow Lance in her hands as she stared back. She closed her eyes, and when they reopened, she gazed back with the same black eyes, centered with singularities of power.

Blood shot out across the night sky as a deep cut threw open across Emeline's shoulder. She glared back with hatred that bordered on madness.

"How can you…?" she hissed. "I've made sure you can't resist me…but _what_ is this _bond_? This _strength_?"

"This," replied Anya, her voice overlaid in double layering of her own voice, "is my chain of memories. The links once broken by death and rebirth, in darkness reborn." She looked up, staring at her once and never sister with dark, powerful eyes. "I remember it now. _Everything_."

"Tch," spat Emeline contemptuously, "so be it. Then I'll just have to kill you."

Throwing her hands forwards, ribbons of paper shot out to ensnare her foe. Anya responded quickly, as tendrils of black lightning sliced through the air, tearing apart the oncoming fetters. The darkness, however, shattered weakly against Emeline's conjured shield of white, leaving the acrid smell of burning ozone as the barrier disappeared to let her through. Taking this opportunity, Anya surged forwards, the shadows crawling across her face as she submerged herself in her dark power. Swinging the Shadow Lance, she clove the figure of Emeline clean in two, only to watch as the remains floated away as drifts of paper on the wind. Turning, she jumped away just in time to avoid a number of sharpened white lances that drove into the ground, shaking the altar with their power as Emeline moved towards her. Her eyes flashed black then, as did Anya's. In that instant, rolling thunder without sound collided, the air shimmering under pressure until it finally burst, scattering shards of marble and droplets of blood in the explosion. Then the dark girl leapt forwards, running her dark spear through the frail form of her Other.

And then the body faded, replaced by wavering ribbons of paper that immediately engulfed her, trapping her in place.

"Memories or not," murmured Emeline softly, watching as her heart writhed uselessly in the bonds of paper, "_I_ am No Heart."

Walking forwards, she gently placed a hand atop Anya's forehead. As they touched, there was a flash of light. And when it resolved, only one girl stood there in pleated skirt and long sleeve shirt, pale blue eyes and vicious grin under long blonde hair streaked with black.

"And now," declared Xenthora, "we are _one_."


	29. Kingdom Hearts

Ano...: I had something important to say, I know it, but I completely forgot. Oh well. Anyway, this is a chapter of lots of buttkick. There's really not much left though. In fact, the epilogue is all that's after this chapter. Just kidding. Ah-hah-hah. Double just kidding. Or _was_ I? dun-dun-dun. You'll have to read to find out. Of course, if you've made it this far, I'd assume you would. Either way, stick around for the epilogue, if there really is one, and for books two and three, The Forgotten Castle and Sin of Remembrance.

* * *

Chapter 28: Kingdom Hearts

* * *

The newly completed Xenthora, heir to No Heart, looked about, her gaze moving from one person to the next. As she did, her eyes changed from Anya's white cross on black eyes to Emeline's pale blue to the yellow eyed madness of the darkness, and then finally settling into the molten amber color of No Heart's golden eyes. Blonde hair streaked with black floated up in an eerie halo about her in the waves of her aura as she hovered a few inches off the ground, energy crackling in the air around her. 

"A good try," she murmured absently, "but you're a hundred years too early if you think to disrupt my plans." Giggling lightly, she flashed them a viciously sincere smile of enjoyment and triumph. Turning, she eyed the black cloaked son of Ansem. "Now, for unfinished business."

Lashing out her arm at him, she sent out a wave of invisible force, knocking Riku back off his feet. Even though he blocked, he still hit the ground hard, spattering blood across the white marble by sheer force of impact. She turned then to Daxtin.

"This is from Xencarsse!" yelled the boy, meeting her gaze. In one swift move, he threw out his arms, releasing a blast of water and sound. Xenthora met it head on with calm, calculating eyes. Right before the wave struck, she snapped her fingers. The entire attack immediately disappeared.

"Next," she called derisively.

"Hey, bitch!" yelled Diant, charging forwards, aura blades swinging. He dodged under lashing tendrils of black lightning then leapt up, Joiner and Divider held overhead for a powerful downwards swing. Xenthora eyed him with a bored expression before raising her right hand and snapping her fingers. Instantly, the attacking boy in black cloak unraveled before their eyes, his limbs twisting flat into a continuous loop until he entirely spiraled in into a tiny form in the palm of her hand. When she finished, all Xenthora held was a tiny scrap of paper with the name "Diant" written upon it. Gazing down at the paper she held, she flicked her wrist, vanishing it in a sleight of hand, if not something more sinister.

"Pathetic," she sighed, looking over at the stunned teenagers facing her. She smiled then at Kairi. "Princess. I believe you missed out on the darkness aspect earlier. Let me help you with that."

She reached out with her left hand and snapped her fingers. The ground below the red head went black with writhing shadows, and then the darkness shot up and engulfed her before she could so much as scream.

"Anyway," murmured Xenthora serenely, turning away from the remaining fighters, "I've got more important things to do." She walked away off the edge of the Altar of Naught and into the night sky towards the heart shaped moon. "Now, Kingdom Hearts… together, we can be whole."

Then she disappeared.

* * *

In the stunned silence, the two remaining boys could do nothing more than look around in lost confusion, and take stock of the situation. It wasn't good. 

Anya was now part of Xenthora. Diant had been captured, possibly obliterated by her. Kairi was trapped in the darkness. And the limp and bleeding form of Riku didn't seem to be keen on moving. This just left the two of them, Daxtin and Kir.

"What are we going to do?" asked the younger boy helplessly.

"It's all over…" muttered the blonde Nobody absently as he gazed up at the heart-shaped moon with a blank stare. He blinked then as something flickered in his vision. Shaking his head to clear it, he looked back up again. When he did, the flickering had become a more solid shimmering. As the boys watched, an enormous door, easily twenty feet tall, formed in midair before Kingdom Hearts. A glittering, glassy pathway unrolled from it down the air and to the edge of the tower. "What is it?"

"The door to Kingdom Hearts," answered Kir confidently, smiling with new hope as he strode forwards. "We can rescue Anya and everyone else, and beat Xenthora!" He looked back over his shoulder and flashed him a hopeful grin. "Together!"

"Yeah," murmured Daxtin, unable to help but smile in the face of the young key bearer's optimism, "together."

They walked up the shining path to the door, and then Kir leveled his keyblade at it, a beam of light shooting from the tip and striking dead center. The doors parted, flooding them with light as they opened. Then it became blinding, and they stepped out of the World That Never Was, and into Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

Black and white swirled in an explosion of colors all around them as they walked across the unseen, invisible floor. Like Betwixt and Between, the fluctuating void was rife with symbols that flew this way and that, blending and melding with the flowing colors, just on the edge of perception. Unlike the limbo between worlds, the symbols in Kingdom Hearts were quite clear and recognizable: the crown of light, the crossed out heart of the Heartless, and the hearted cross of the Nobodies. And of course, the heart itself. 

Standing in the center of this rainbow gone wild, like a powerful deity, was Xenthora. The clothes that Emeline had once worn were gone; now she bore a long cloaked robe similar in design to that of the Organization, but in a curving, intricate pattern of black and white. The curves and points in the line between dark and light made shapes that could have been hearts, or could have been thorns. As she turned to face them with golden eyes, thorny lines of black and white wrapped around her in the air, the very power of nothing that is No Heart's right made visible by sheer force.

"Light," she intoned softly, her voice echoing throughout the realm, "is a finite thing; it has a source, and an edge, where that source fails to reach. Darkness, however, is the absence of light; it is every existent place that light is not. However, its very _existence_ defines it, too, as finite. Nothingness, however, is eternal. You cannot hope to defeat me; why do you even try?"

"You know," replied Daxtin, "you're right. The light may seem big, but I guess it only goes as far as we carry it. And darkness may have a boundary too; after all, without the light, there is no darkness. And if it doesn't exist, it can't have an edge, so I guess you're right: nothingness _is_ eternal."

"But that doesn't mean _you're_ eternal!" shouted Kir, stepping up and wielding the keyblade at her. Rather than being impressed, however, Xenthora merely smiled. The smile widened into a grin. Then she threw her head back, hair waving the in the currents of her power as she let out peal upon peal of silvery laughter that echoed throughout like so many empty chimes.

"You know," she said, finally calming down, "there was a young boy and his friend, just like you two, who told me the same thing once. That was five hundred years ago. And you know what? _I'm still here_."

Surging forwards, her feet not even touching the non-existent ground, she reached out and grabbed Daxtin by the collar, jolting his whole body with raw power at her touch.

"Come with me," she hissed, twirling around and swinging him as though her were a weightless rag-doll, "and join me in eternal Nothing."

Throwing him up in the air one handed, her other arm flew out at him, thorny beams of twilight shooting out of her sleeve at him. Midair, the Nobody twisted, channeling and then riding the currents of power like a wave, sliding around the attack back towards its originator. As he did, the girl disappeared, blurring and reappearing next to him in midair. Beside her, nexuses of nothing appeared, voids that spawned forth more of the black and white thorny beams. As Daxtin dodged around these attacks towards her, Kir leapt up, surfing through the chaotic energy to join them in the midair battle. In a chaos of surging tendrils of nothing, the two boys twisted and dodged, each time they moved reaching out with their weapons towards their elusive foe who kept on teleporting around them, striking out with more streamers of twilight. Xenthora laughed, high and sinister as she moved, always out of reach yet ever right in front of them. The voids began appearing in quicker and quicker succession, each one giving birth to more thorny tendrils, until it was all the two boys could do to just dodge, much less attack the already untouchable Xenthora.

Finally growing bored of this, Xenthora disappeared, as did all of the beams of nothing. While this freed the boys up a bit, it also removed the very energy that supported them as they swung through the air. They landed hard on their feet from what should have been a near-fatal fall, but in this realm of Heart and passion, a little thing such as physics need not apply.

Kir and Daxtin charged forwards at the cloaked young girl, dodging around as she let loose long ribbons of paper at them. Daxtin leapt first, his dual blades slamming hard and harsh against her hastily raised guard of paper and darkness. Jumping over her, he landed on the other side then lunged forwards, striking out with a powerful cross slash. Xenthora turned in time and blocked the attack with a summoned guard of shimmering energy, only to gasp in pain as Kir attacked from behind, spearing his keyblade straight into her back. The shield shattered, spraying shards of crystalline energy like broken glass, then her body wavered and tore apart; it was no more than a paper doll.

Rising from the ground, Xenthora suddenly appeared off to the side, tall bars of paper rising with her to surround the duo in separate cages. Reacting immediately, each boy took their own approach to freeing themselves. While Kir unlocked the trap with his key, Daxtin instead relied on Divider to cut straight through the bars. However, as soon as they did this, Xenthora shot forwards with unnatural speed, long tendrils of paper coming out of her sleeves. She rocketed past Kir, the long streamers entangling themselves around him and pinning his arms to his side in a strangling embrace. The girl stopped a few yards behind him, arms crossed and hands out to each side, lightly grasping the imprisoning bonds. Then, gripping them tightly, she gave a sudden jerk, pulling them tight as they young brunette's body snapped rigid in the crushing squeeze. Retracting her deadly fetters, she turned and smiled with satisfaction as the young keyblade master gasped and fell to the ground.

"Kir!" shouted Daxtin as his companion fell limp to the ground. Turning and glaring angrily at his opponent, his eyes flashed bright with the same blue green fire that spawned from the orbs inset in his aura blades. "You'll pay for that!"

Hovering off the ground, Joiner and Divider slipped from his hands to float freely behind him, supported by his will alone. Eyes burning with fiery rage, he shot forwards with unnatural speed, swinging out his arms at her and sending his aura blades flying in a spinning whirlwind of death. The two blades, spinning in blurred disks of white and black, crashed into the surprised Xenthora, battering her harshly as Diant shot forwards, his sleeveless white coat billowing out behind him like the wings of an avenging angel.

"Dance of the Bleeding Clouds!" he cried out, lifting one hand as he hovered in the air just before her. His keyblade returned to him, this time going vertical as they shot up and down in a piston-like motion, each jerking movement firing off a blast of power from each end as they blurred faster and faster until it seemed he was the center of an exploding circle. Twirling then, he shot out, slamming straight through Xenthora as his aura blades did the same. "Dance of the Broken Sky!"

His blades and he became a mere flash of light as they shot back and forth, slamming in Xenthora with harsh blows that gave off the blue-green glow of Daxtin's righteous flame. Finally coming to a halt in the epicenter of the whirling blades, he threw his arms apart in an explosion of rage, determination, and power.

"Final Dance of the Hurricane!"

The world exploded outwards from him in a spiraling wind of energy and aura. The whole of Kingdom Hearts shook with him as he released what he, even as a Nobody, could only describe as emotion, his heart. When the dust finally cleared and his feet settled to the ground, he was alone.

He dodged to the left and gasped in pain as the giant jagged spar of white shot up, ripping through his side as a whole forest of paper spike shot up all around, branching and impaling. He nimbly moved and jumped to avoid the incoming attacks, until at long last, they finally stopped. Looking about, there was only silence. Then a noise. Turning, he moved only just fast enough to watch as Xenthora materialized out of one of the bony white spars and shot out at him, arms thrown back to fling pulsing spheres of nothing at him.

"Now, join your friend in the oblivion of death!" she hissed, golden eyes wide in their final triumph.

Her triumph was short-lived.

She gasped as the keyblade struck her upside the head, knocking her off course, then coughed out more grunts of pain as Kir laid out with a powerful and swift three-hit combo that sent her flying and crashing through her paper spikes. Panting heavily, the young boy grinned in satisfaction as the whole paper forest came crumbling down around them.

"I'm not dead yet," he said with a grin. Looking back over his shoulder, he flashed a smile at Daxtin. "Let's end this!"

"Yeah," agreed the older boy with a nod. They charged forwards, and as Xenthora regained her feet, they dodged around as she summoned more nexuses of nothing and their attendant thorny beams. Inspiration striking, Daxtin leapt to the side as Kir engaged her head on. Lashing out with the white blade, he struck out at the nearest sphere of void. "Joiner!"

Moving quickly, he traced an arc to the next sphere, and the next. Continuing to flow around the currents of nothing that emanated from them, he went on to connect sphere to sphere, nexus to nexus in an ever-growing web of power. Finally drawing it all in, he concentrated what he'd joined together into one, final ball of nothing.

"Eat this!" he shouted, flinging it down at Xenthora as Kir dodged away.

The explosion resounded throughout the realm, shaking the very walls of reality as the ball of power exploded in a flowering bloom of oblivion and nothing all around No Heart. Then the power siphoned inwards, spiraling about in an every shrinking radius until it disappeared. Xenthora stood there, basically unharmed with a wide, triumphant grin on her face.

"Was that supposed to stop me?" she asked in an amused tone of voice. "I _am_ nothing. Nothing can't possibly stop me."

"But this can!" shouted Kir, aiming the keyblade at her. A beam of light shot forwards, striking her square in the chest. Turning the handle, there was a loud clicking noise that resounded to their very cores.

"Anya!" yelled Daxtin desperately, firing a similar beam with Divider. The beam of light struck the glowing center of the stunned Xenthora where Kir had unlocked her. As soon as it touched, there was a flash of light. As Daxtin ran forwards, Anya came stumbling out of it. Catching her in his arms, he nearly cried in relief. "We did it!"

As they said that, the ground shook.

"Without me, Xenthora's no longer stable," gasped Anya, pushing away from him and looking seriously into his eyes. "Linked to Kingdom Hearts here, neither is this place."

"Then let's go!" yelled Kir, already running for the glowing portal through which they had entered. Daxtin nodded and once he made sure Anya was alright, they took off after the young boy to get out before the whole place was destroyed.

* * *

Riku, casually wiping the blood from his face, looked up with a mildly surprised expression in his squinty eyes as the large door before Kingdom Hearts opened. Out came running Daxtin, Kir, and Anya. He smiled. 

"Quick, we have to lock it before Xenthora can escape!" shouted Anya, grabbing Kir and spinning him around to face the door they had just come through.

"Right!" agreed the boy, jumping back and taking aim with the Kingdom Key. A beam of light shot out from the end, hitting an ethereal keyhole before the door and fading with a loud, final click of the lock. They waited in awkward silence, watching the door cautiously. Nothing happened.

"I think that's it," stated Anya simply. They trio slowly smiled as it dawned on them. "I think that's _it_."

"We did it!" yelled Kir with a shout, jumping up and pumping a hand in the air. "We beat Xenthora! We beat No Heart!"

"It's finally over," said Daxtin with a sigh.

There was a flash of red, then Anya fell to the ground with a cry of pain, clutching her shoulder as spurts of blood shot out across the white ground of the Altar of Naught.

"Not quite," hissed Xatheron, walking up the stairs of the tower, beam swords ready to kill.


	30. Memories of Nobody

Finale: This is the last chapter, and therefore, the last authors notes. I'd like to thank you few reviewers who stuck around with me through this. However, it's not really over. As I said before, this is book one of Kingdom Hearts: Memorandum. The Forgotten Castle will be forthcoming. Eventually. In a while. After I finish character designs and, y'know, write an outline and figure out what the heck I'm doing. Well, hope you like it.

* * *

Chapter 29: Memories of Nobody

* * *

Xatheron stood there, a god reborn in his own blood. His golden eyes blazed with a furious power as he stood there in his bloodied black robe, the laser blades emanating from his hands crackling with power in the still night air. He looked from one stunned face to the next, a slow, confident grin spreading across his face. 

"Don't look so surprised," he murmured in his deep, mysterious voice. "You may have separated No Heart from that fool Xenthora, but there is no need for her as long as there is his original vessel, I, Xatheron, the Superior."

"There's no way," asserted Anya shakily. "When we were joined, I gained Emeline's memories. She killed you. You died. I saw your bloody corpse in front of your throne."

"So it would seem," he replied mildly. "It appears, I'm just too powerful for even Death to handle. Though I assure you, Death will be all too pleased to handle you three.

He looked down at his feet at the bleeding form of Riku then, his eyes full of disdain.

"And you," he spat with a contemptuous sneer, "Who would have thought that all this time, the last son of the wise King Ansem was hiding under my nose. You look pathetic, Riku."

The fox-faced blonde merely grinned and laughed, a short barking thing that eventually broke off into wet coughing as spasms wracked his chest. Finally calming down, he smiled up at the Superior and said something too soft to hear clearly.

"What was that?" asked Xatheron with detached curiosity, bending towards him to hear better after giving the man a good kick to make sure it wasn't a trick. The blow sent the young prince into another debilitating round of bloody coughing before he regained his breath.

"I said," repeated the former number V quietly, "'not as pathetic as you're about to look.'"

"What?" spat the Nobody, straightening with a puzzled expression on his face. He gasped then in sudden pain as searing agony shot up his back. He stumbled forwards, just barely managing to turn around and keep his feet as he hunched over, golden eyes staring up in wide surprise at his assailant.

"When I kill you, you _stay_ dead," shouted maimed and bloody number VIII. "Got it _memorized_?"

"You…" was all the Superior managed to gasp before falling to his knees. He looked up with pleading eyes at his red-haired killer, reaching out with one gloved hand before finally fading into darkness and nothing.

The green-eyed pyromancer then turned his sights on the other black cloaked man on the ground. He stared at him solemnly for a moment, and then smiled.

"A prince, huh?" he said with a grin. "You're not at all what I expected, Riku."

"Yeah, well, you're not exactly what I expected either, Roxtarit," replied the blonde with a slightly pained smile.

"You know that's not my real name," chided the Flurry of the Dancing Flames playfully. "It's Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it _memorized_?"

"Yeah," nodded the prince. He sat up in surprise as VIII coughed suddenly, spraying crimson blood as he fell to his knees. As the coughing subsided, Axel turned and flashed him a toothy grin.

"Good," he said approvingly. "Now don't go forgetting it, just because I'm dead in a few minutes."

"I won't," replied Riku seriously, holding him as another fit of bloody coughing took hold of his friend.

"It's funny," started Axel, his grin revealing straight white teeth painted in his own blood, "I told him… that just because _he_ had a next life…but here I am. Dying my next life away." He paused then, looking down at the pool of blood forming at his feet. Streamers of darkness were coming off him as his edges turned fuzzy and began to fade. "Hey," he said suddenly, raising his head a little and turning to face Riku. "Let's meet again in the next life."

"Yeah," nodded the Prince, sagging a little as he became all that was holding the red-head up, "I'll see you on the other side."

"It's a promise then," he said, clinching the deal. "And hey, when you get there? Maybe I'll have found him by then. I can introduce you two. I think you'd get along great. He's one of a kind, that kid…"

His voice trailed off and his head slumped forwards. Slowly, his chest failed to rise and fall, and the blood trickling from the corners of his mouth came to a stop and all that was left was the final drip-drip-dripping of the droplets of red from his chin to the white, bare ground. And then even that stopped. By that time, he was gone, and all that Riku held up was a few wisps of shadow and fire until they faded away into the darkness.

"…I'm sure he is," he replied quietly. Silently, the black cloaked man finally got to his feet. Sighing, he looked up to the starless night and the warming glow of Kingdom Hearts. "I seem to be making a lot of promises like that these days." Shrugging, he walked over then to the trio of children who hadn't moved and been quietly watching since Xatheron had fallen. "Well, at least it's over now."

As if in contradiction of his statement, Anya let out a shrieking scream of agony, falling to her knees before them clutching her head.

"Anya, what's wrong?" asked Daxtin, rushing to her side.

"He's…he's trying to get in my head!" she cried out, doubling over and curling up right in front of them as they kneeled beside her.

"He? He who?" questioned Kir worriedly.

"No Heart!" the dark haired girl managed to gasp before the pain overwhelmed her and she curled up again.

"Why is this still happening?" demanded the younger boy. "Didn't we defeat him? We got Xenthora _and_ Xatheron! Shouldn't No Heart be gone?"

"No," murmured Daxtin, realization dawning. "Anya's still half of Xenthora."

"The weak half that can't possibly contain him," came a high, confidant young voice. Turning in surprise, the three who were still able to stand gaped as the locked doors to Kingdom Hearts shuddered and shook. As they watched, slithering tendrils of papers slid out from between the two doors, reach out and grasping the imprisoning doors like powerful hands of a long captured titan. Slowly, ever so slowly, they pried the two enormous doors apart, more ribbons of pure white paper slithering out and joining the effort as the doors grinded open like the maw of an awakening giant. Finally they slammed out to the sides, flooding the tower in light shrouded out only by a single delicate figure.

Emeline stood there, tall and proud, her pale blonde hair fluttering about her like the wings of an angel. Walking easily down the shimmering pathway to the tower as the doors closed behind her, she smiled benevolently down at them.

"She can't contain him, being only such a weakened half," she explained easily. She walked among them with no worry as if she was among old friends, and then kneeled down next to the shuddering curled up ball that was Anya. "At best, or worst I should say, No Heart takes control and we have to stop her. At worst, she is too weak to handle such a power, and dies. Then it comes for me."

"Excuse me?" asked Daxtin in a confused voice. "Do we know you? Are you actually Xenthora?"

"My name's Emeline," she replied. "Xenthora's writhing on the ground right now inside Anya."

"She's here to help," Riku cut in. "And I think I get where she's going with this."

"Smart head, for a ridiculous looking fox-faced bastard son of Ansem," she said easily, the moniker rolling off her tongue smoothly. "So here it is: my Other and I join together as one and seal No Heart within us. The keybrat locks us, and that's that."

"Won't work," interjected Riku clinically as he eyed the twitching body on the ground. "He's more powerful than any one person; he's used you as a vessel before, so you can't possibly hope to overpower him now. Not for long, anyway."

"Then what do we do?" asked Kir in a frightened voice.

"Same thing, more seals," replied the prince quickly. Wiping his hand across his chest, he brought it up to show the red smeared all across his palm. "Blood of the King. No more powerful medium exists."

That said, he began drawing on the ground in his own blood, starting at the edge of the tower and working around the circumference.

"You," said Emeline in a commanding tone, pointing at Daxtin, "move her to the center. And you," she said, turning on Kir. "Ready your key."

"Actually," interrupted Riku, not looking up from his arcane scribbling as he worked his way inwards, grimacing each time he slapped his hand to his chest for more blood, "it's not his job to do."

"What do you mean?" asked the blonde girl in an irritated tone. "Out with it, we don't have much time!"

"Kir doesn't have the strongest connection to Anya or you," he explained. He looked up then, staring straight as Daxtin just as he finished laying Anya gently down in the center of the Altar of Naught. "He does."

Emeline looked over at him, and then back down at her other, her heart.

"I suppose you're right," she admitted. "But how? He's not a key bearer."

"Doesn't need to be," said Riku, now working just around the outer edge of where they stood around Anya. "It's just a matter of joining you and your other under this seal into a final prison for No Heart. _Wakata_?"

The girl glared at him, then walked over into the center and knelt down by her once and never sister. She picked her up in her arms, standing and bringing her straight as she held the limp form of Anya in a tight embrace. Looking over the dark girl's shoulder, she stared at Daxtin with bright blue eyes.

"My useful pawn even till the end," she murmured fondly. Then she averted her eyes, and whispered, "And also… I'm sorry."

"Now!" yelled Riku, adding the final line to the giant sealing symbol he'd been drawing. Slamming his hands down on the final rune, he began chanting quickly under his breath. "By my life as the future King of the Kingdom, I hereby seal the being known as No Heart!"

A bright light shot up from the ground, emanating from the bloody crimson lines of the seal. As this happened, Emeline let go of Anya and the two floated in place, their hair, black and blonde, raising high in the upshot of power. And between them, was the void. The void called No Heart.

"Do it now!" commanded Emeline harshly, energy crackling between her and Anya as they levitated in place.

"But… you'll die! All three of you will die, won't you?" Daxtin demanded, the implications dawning on him of what they were really doing.

"Just do it!" yelled Riku over the roar of power coalescing around them.

"Shut up and obey me, pawn!" spat Emeline imperiously.

Daxtin looked from one, and then to the other. Then his gaze settled on the serene face of Anya. She floated there, eyes closed, oblivious to what was about to happen to her. She had always been oblivious to what was happening, to how she was just a pawn in Xenthora's bigger game. Just like him.

He remembered how they met, how he rescued her that day before the Old Mansion. How they had traveled then to Destiny Islands. And there, they had met Kairi. Together, the three of them… the adventures they'd had. The friendship they'd formed. But now, Kairi was gone. Just like his other, Diant. Even though he'd only known him as a member of Organization XIII, he was still a good person. And there were others from the Organization too. Roxtarit, no, Axel, who had saved them once before from Anya's darkness, and let them into the castle. And now Riku, who had rescued Kairi from the dungeon. So many others had already died because of No Heart. He remembered then what Xencarsse had said.

_You know, in another life, we might have been friends._

His will resolved, he looked up then and gazed into the void that hovered there between the two girls. A single aura blade flashed into existence and he gripped it firmly in both hands. It wasn't Joiner.

"I won't sacrifice them! I won't let any more of my friends die!" he yelled, lunging forwards. He dove into the void, piercing his blade into its very heart as he divided it from his friends and fell into nothing.

* * *

He stood there, in the void, in the swirling nothing of whites and grays that went on into eternity. Before him hovered a cloaked form, wearing the same hooded cloak that Xenthora had worn, a swirling mix of thorns and hearts, of black and white. Its booted feet hovered just above the invisible grounds as it watched his from under its drawn hood that obscured the face he knew wasn't there. Here, in the nothing, it was just No Heart and him. 

"You think you can defeat me?" intoned the shattered hissing whispers that made up No Heart's voice. "You, who know so little?"

"I won't let you take any more lives!" shouted Daxtin, drawing his aura blades in fury. "I'll destroy you myself!"

"You, foolish Nobody," echoed No Heart's voice, "can do nothing. You are alone, and alone, you are nothing."

"Then I'll just have to help him," interrupted a cool, confident voice that bordered on arrogance. An adolescent boy stepped up next to Daxtin confidently, bearing familiar blades. He no longer wore the black robe of the Organization, but a short long-sleeved jacket over a white shirt and black pants bearing an assortment of buckles and zippers under two belts crisscrossing at the waist. The upper arms of his jacket, his shirt, and the pendant of his necklace all bore the circle crossed by the arrow-headed X that was the antithesis of Daxtin's own cross necklace. He had spiky dirty-blonde hair that shot back from his head and was tied near the base of his skull in an unruly ponytail. He flashed a grin down at Daxtin and met his piercing blue eyes with the exact same ones.

"Diant!" exclaimed the white-coated boy in surprise.

"We can take him," grinned his Other confidently. "Now let's do this!"

"Right," agreed Daxtin. The scene before the black and white cloaked figure of No Heart warped and blurred, and when the distortions faded, only one boy stood before it, though it was impossible to tell which.

"Time to end this!" they yelled together, charging forwards. No Heart responded quickly, the void rolling off its hands in an explosion of thorny twilight beams that reached out to grasp them. Daxtin dodged around, riding the currents of towards his target with Joiner and Divider clutched firmly in hand. He lashed out, his blades swiping through air as No Heart blurred and disappeared, reappearing behind him. The power of nothing glowing around its hands, the hooded figure lunged in to destroy him.

Diant blocked, and then counterattacked, throwing the cloaked figure back into the air. As the black and white form spun upwards, he crouched, muscles coiling and tensing before launching himself into the air after it. He attacked with a powerful cross slash of his aura blades, only to watch in surprise as the cloaked No Heart caught the blades in its gloved hands. Lifting its legs, No Heart kicked out, planting its feet firmly in the boy's chest and sending him flying back down towards the ground.

"Catch!" yelled Diant as he flew downwards, flinging the black blade Divider back up at No Heart. As the figure prepared to deflect the attack, Daxtin was suddenly there, powerful hands wrapping around the hilt of the aura blade and swinging up wards. Catching the cloaked form in a powerful uppercut, he launched into a quick series of slashes, alternating between powerful two-handed blows and swift one handed attacks, the blade switching from hand to hand as he swung in continuous motion. Finally, he raising the blade above him and brought it down in one swift cut, sending No Heart flying back down to the invisible floor.

The black and white cloaked figure hit the ground, bouncing once then executing a quick flip in the air and landing on its feet, hidden face gazing up at Daxtin as he came barreling down. As the blonde boy prepared to strike, it brought its hands up together in front of it, and then pulled them apart in a wide band of pure energy. The black aura blade struck it hard, crackling with energy. The same moment, the blade turned and changed white, overlapping the attacking black blade as the figure holding Joiner landed behind No Heart.

Diant quickly struck out at the unprotected back. He raised his blade to attack again, but No Heart turned then and countered, throwing him back. As the boy skidded across the ground, it launched a volley of energy beams that crashed into him, exploding in a fury of power. As the last beam fell, Daxtin came running out of the destruction, both aura blades in hand as he charged forwards. Closing the distance, he threw Joiner at the twilight form of the advocate of Nothing, who dodged to one side easily. As it did, however, Diant caught the spinning white aura blade in his hand and attacked No Heart's back. Blows rained down harshly in quick succession, until suddenly, No Heart sidestepped one swipe and grabbed Diant's hand on the blade. Grasping it tightly, the cloaked figure swung about, letting go and launching the spiky-haired teenager at his other. Daxtin ducked under as he charged forwards, and then leapt up with a yell as he gripped Divider in both hands and came crashing down.

"Shield!" commanded No Heart harshly, a wall of energy appearing before it. The barrier exploded with power as Daxtin struck it, sending him flying in a curved arc. As he flew, Diant charged back into the fray and jumped up as Daxtin passed by. Their hands met and the former Organization member grabbed his other blade and crashed down upon No Heart, both blades striking downwards in an explosion of power. No Heart dodged back, out of the way, and then waved his hands, nexuses of nothing appearing at his command. As Diant dodged the thorny beams that came out, No Heart surged forwards, grabbing him by the collar.

"Death to you, traitor!" it hissed in its broken whispers, before flinging him up into the air. It appeared above the boy and swung out with claws of oblivion, striking him hard in the stomach. Diant gasped and barely dodged the next attack, swinging around the beam of nothing and lunging with his blade. No Heart disappeared and blurred into sight next to him, already lashing out. He blocked, then spun and attacked. He overextended himself, and as No Heart appeared above him, he didn't have time to dodge as the hand holding a long slim blade of eternity came down. The power crashed into him, and he gasped in pain as he went down. Light exploded from his back and as he went down, Daxtin remained in place, aura blades in hand. He glared hard at the hooded face before him then lashed out, his blades smashing straight into the cloaked figure's head. There was an explosion of light as where they hovered became the center of a supernova of power, exploding out in a giant orb of energy. Daxtin fell to the ground, freefalling on the brink of unconsciousness until he hit the ground in hard impact, his blades landing nearby, their ends sticking into the ground. Not far off, No Heart landed hard on its feet, wobbling a bit but remaining standing. Daxtin quickly got up, then ran forwards, grabbing Divider as Diant grabbed Joiner.

Daxtin overtook his Other as he charged forwards, swinging out with his blade. No Heart blocked with his arms, moving so fast it was almost impossible to see before spotting a hole in his defenses and hitting Daxtin square in the chest, launching him backwards. Diant charged in then, but as he did, the black and white cloaked figure threw his arms back, a giant swirling vortex opening before him. No Heart laughed maliciously as the boy was sucked in through his headlong rush. Too late, Diant turned and tried to run, only to be sucked backwards as his feet slid back across the treacherous ground. In one last desperate move, he threw his blade back to his blonde-haired Other.

"Diant!" shouted Daxtin as he caught the blade and the dirty-blonde disappeared into the churning maw of oblivion. The portal closed, leaving the satisfied No Heart behind it.

"And then there was one," the cloaked figure intoned quietly as it strode forwards.

"Think again!" shouted Diant, charging forwards with Joiner and Divider in hand. As his blades clashed with No Hearts thorny voids, he crouched, and then shot forwards in a burst of speed. Piercing blue eyes came up to look into the inky black void under the hood.

"There was only one to begin with," said Daxtin before he struck him with a powerful uppercut. Jumping back, he spun his arm and then threw Divider up at the spinning figure. As the aura blade flew, Diant appeared upon it, riding it like a skateboard with one hand clutching the front and the other raising Joiner above him. He leapt off, flying over No Heart's head as it righted itself and coming down behind it, and then grabbing the other flying blade. As No Heart turned, Daxtin struck it hard before it could block. He hit another series of strikes upon it, and then raising his blades, Diant brought them down with force, sending No Heart back to the invisible ground.

They landed with a resounding impact as No Heart hit the ground, bouncing up and then floating in the air, clutching at its chest as it hovered there.

"Now join the spirits as I divide you from this world!" he yelled, aiming both aura blades at him. The inset orbs flared with blue-green fire and then twin beams of light shot forth, twisting around each other in double helixes until they struck No Heart straight on. There was a flash of light, and then it was over.

The two boys, side by side, watched as the figure in the black and white cloak stumbled, twisting smoke like the very thorny twilight it had fought with coming off it.

"This… isn't over," insisted No Heart, "it… can't… be over. Not without… my Kingdom… Hearts."

Then light filled the realm, and he was gone. And as the light continued to pour forth, engulfing the two boys in its blinding, all encompassing embrace, Daxtin felt himself also fade. And he could only think one thing.

"Maybe," he said softly as the light enfolded him, "I am just nobody."


	31. Epilogue

Epilogue:

* * *

It was a sunny day on the beach. The weather was perfect with a cool breeze coming in from the south, pushing at the scudding white clouds scattered across the blue, blue sky. Seagulls cried out in the distance to the echo of the crashing waves.

Diant stood leaning against bent trunk of paupu tree that grew on the little islet that was connected to the rest of the island they played on by a wooden ramp. He smiled as he heard the heavy, clumsy tromp of Kir's boots as he came running across said bridge. The younger boy jumped and climbed up onto the nearly horizontal tree trunk and then sat down upon it, next to him.

"Well, I kept my promise," grinned the brunette. "I got us all home."

"Even with the adventure and all, nothing's really changed, has it?" replied Diant coolly. "What a small world."

"But part of one that's much bigger," said Kairi, surprising him as she came walked up the low trunk of the paupu past Kir and sat down next to the younger boy. He hadn't heard her coming because of his other friend's noisy approach. "I don't ever want to forget what we experienced."

"Yeah," agreed Kir, nodding emphatically. "The friends we met…"

"…or the challenges we faced," finished Diant. They fell into comfortable silence as they gazed ahead, watching the sun set in a fiery show of reds and oranges. Kir looked ahead intently, remembering the worlds that lay beyond the horizon. Diant closed his eyes and relaxed, listening to the soothing sound of the waves. Kairi gazed at the setting sun, remembering another twilight sunset she had watched. Sighing regretfully, she shifted and leaned back a little, then sat up as she felt something in the back pocket of her striped skirt. Feeling around, she pulled it out and turned to the side, away from the boys as her eyes scanned the crumpled up piece of paper she held.

"What's up?" asked Kir, looking over at her curiously. She sat up suddenly, quickly shoving it back inside her pocket.

"Just some sand in my pocket," she lied, making a show of brushing off her skirt. The boy shrugged obliviously, and then went back to watching the sunset. Relaxing, Kairi gazed ahead, finally enjoying her day. She was with her friends now. And she was sure she'd be with her others too. She just had to wait.

* * *

"Goodnight, sweetie,"

"Goodnight, mom," called out Kairi as she closed the door to her bedroom. Moving across the room to her bed, she kicked one of Kir's shirts that he had carelessly lost out of her way before flopping onto her bed. Adjusting her fuzzy pink pajamas and tucking herself in, she took one last look at her bedside stand to make sure they were still there before turning off her lamp. Satisfied, she pulled the chain, and with a click, the light went out.

As she slept, the moonlight filtered in through her window, reflecting off the polished metal of a chain necklace and the cross-shaped pendant with a diamond shaped points and a circle in the center. Beside it was a crumpled paper note, its message just barely visible in the silver light of the moon.

_"Being nobody, being the shadow of somebody…_

_Broken halves of a fractured whole._

_Can I still love you, even if I'm no one?"_


	32. Extra Epilogue

Extra Epilogue:

* * *

"End of the road," she said simply. It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah," he replied. As they walked among the shiny jet rocks, their feet crunching in the fine black sand, they gazed out across the dark ocean on the towering, twisted spars of rock that arced over it, framing the pale white moon on the horizon. His stilted geta sunk into the sand, slowing down his longer strides as she walked ahead of him, thin sandals having no such problem.

"If this is what the world really is," she said, turning about and waving her arms around to indicate the beach and surrounding rocks, "just this, then maybe I should just fade into the darkness." Smiling, she kicked off her sandals and waded into the water, the waves splashing up around her knees and spraying dark spots across her white sundress. He stayed at the edge of the waves, preferring to keep his red yukata dry as his long crimson scarf blew around in the sea breeze.

"At least the waves sound the same," he murmured appreciatively.

"This world is perfect for me," she said, turning with a splash and folding her arms over her chest as she watched him. She watched him closely as he looked out across the waters. "What are you thinking about? Worried?"

"No," he said quietly, "the other side… the realm of Light is safe for now. I've kept my promises there. The only ones left are over here." He paused then, going quiet as he stared out at the moonlit horizon and considered his position. He looked down then at her, the moonlight reflecting off his pale face as he watched Emeline standing in the waves. "If the world is made up of light and darkness," said Riku, "We'll be the darkness."

* * *

_XIII_

"_Where's Skye?"_

"_I won't let you find her!"_

_12_

_Pride_

"_He is the manipulator, refined and arrogant."_

_Lust_

"_So too, will you serve our Mistress."_

_11_

"_I'm going to find him."_

"_Don't you ever come after me again!"_

_X_

_Order of the Key_

"_So, you kept your promise."_

_The hope of all Realms_

_9_

_No Heart_

"_He was my only friend."_

"_I seek the man with the Silver Moon."_

_VIII_

_Greed_

"_He is by far the cruelest of our order."_

_Envy_

"_He bears the power to exceed us all."_

_VII_

_THE SINS_

"_Rise, my servants."_

_Locksmith_

"_I am the antithesis to your key."_

_Third Seal_

_6_

_The Angel and the Devil_

"_I am your darkness."_

_The Key of Destiny_

_Bearer of the Black Sun_

_5_

_Sloth_

"_He is the most learned, with utter control of his nature."_

_Gluttony_

"_With a thought, he can consume all before him."_

_4_

"_Your Majesty!"_

"_So this is where you've been."_

"_The reflection of your kingdom."_

_The Dark realm_

"_Here, the darkness is whole and the light is the intruder."_

_3  
Wrath_

"_If you ever meet him, run."_

_Sin_

_II_

_The Final Keyblade Master_

_Seeker of Redemption_

_The Nobody Made Whole_

_I_

_Kingdom Hearts_

"_So this is it?"_

"_This is our final hope."_

_"And now… awaken."_


	33. Preview: One Year Later

Preview: One Year Later

* * *

He ran down the dark, rain-slick street, his blade flashing around him in a flurry of strikes. Heartless fell before him, and he laughed derisively at the pitiful weakness of his foes. But this barely registered on his mind; all he could think of was one thing: the awesome power that lay ahead, the power towards which he was running.

Finishing off the last of the Heartless with a burst of flame, he found himself at the head of a set of stairs heading down under the street. Giving one last look behind him from under the hood of his white jacket, he began his descent into the darkness.

His boots clicked loudly against the cement steps in the eerie silence of the subway station. He reached the bottom, stepping out onto the platform, empty but for a single figure sitting on one of the benches in the center between the two empty sets of tracks.

The waiting man had long, slick black hair, tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing a black leather jacket over a t-shirt and pants in the same colors. He had oval-lens glasses and reading a small book held in one hand. He paid no attention to the hooded figure that had just come in.

The hooded figure hailed him challengingly. When he got no response, he growled impatiently, blue-white fires forming in his hands, their deathly flames filling the large openings of his sleeves. Giving a yell, he flung the fireballs at the figure.

The twin incendiaries slowed to a halt mere inches from the reading man, quickly dwindling into nothing. The target and creator of this effect didn't even flinch.

The other man held out his hand, his weapon flashing to life in his grip. The black and white keyblade shone with a blue-green glow that emanated from the orb inset near the end of it. Charging forwards, he attacked the seated figure with an overhead swing.

The man in black slid to the side, easily dodging the strike. He got to his feet, not even looking as he continued to read, much to his assailant's frustration. He made no attempt to strike back, playing an entirely evasive role of side-stepping and dodging.

The one in white could feel the strain caused by the other's aura. It was like trying to swing through molasses; the effort was monumental. The very thickness of the air was palpable, and if so, it was breakable too.

Jumping back, the keyblade wielder charged his weapon, darkness converging on the blade before transforming into deathly blue flames. Running forwards, he lashed out at the man in black, unleashing his power in a single shot.

Without even looking up, the other man caught his blade in one hand, the flames immediately going out. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the one in white stumbling back, dazed and profoundly shaken. Then, for the first time, he looked up from his reading and met the other's eyes. Raising his hand, he uttered only two words.

A sudden barrage of dark matter shot forth from his outstretched palm, sending the keyblade wielder dodging backwards. The flying projectiles slowed though, filling the air around him as he easily stayed out of their way. He laughed derisively at the attack, but was quickly silenced as his opponent explained, and then demonstrated their power.

Explosions filled the subway station, the released force sending the one in white flying back and crashing to the ground. He barely had time to scramble to his feet as the other in black, no longer reading and now fully engaged in the fight, came crashing down right where he had been lying not moments before. He struck out with his keyblade, only to be met by swift, impenetrable blocks by his opponent's bare hands. In one swift movement, the one in black swept his blade aside and lunged forwards with one hand.

The keyblade wielder dodged back, teetering on the edge of the platform. As he did, there was a far-off rumbling that quickly grew to a deafening height. Before he could even recover his balance, a speeding train flew past, mere inches from his hooded face. His weapon bounced off it, sending him into a spin down the station. Luckily, he managed to bring it under control, stumbling back to the center of the platform and away from his opponent.

There was no time for further recovery as his opponent once again let loose a barrage of dark shots. Dodging between the sluggish projectiles, the keyblade wielder rode the ensuing explosions forwards, lunging straight for the other. Taken by surprise, the one in black leapt away to the opposite side of the platform. The other launched another fusillade of fireballs, each one disintegrating against the other's barriers. However, behind the volley of flames his keyblade came flying, breaking through and smashing the dark man upside the head and sending him flying back, over the edge of the platform and onto the tracks.

The one in white walked over, gazing down at the other as he called his keyblade back to his hand. His opponent got up off the tracks, standing, even as the station filled with the rumble of the oncoming train. Then, before either could move, the train was there, bearing down on the one in black.

He merely raised one arm towards the oncoming train, and with a thought, it stopped. The speeding back end rammed forwards, the train crushing itself against the invisible force that held it back. Then, before their eyes, the deformed hunk of metal disintegrated into dust. The one in black gave no sign of relief or satisfaction. Instead, he turned his attention on the keyblade wielder.

With another thought, he brought the crushing weight of the world down on the one in white. The cement and benches shattered in the spherical area he had selected, crushing the man against the floor.

Giving a sigh, the one in black leapt easily back up onto the platform, looking down with mild disdain at the crushed figure before him. Giving a small shrug, he began to head for the stairs.

However, as he reached the foot of the stairs, there was a sound behind him. Turning, he saw his opponent, the one he had left for dead, standing to his feet. Darkness flooded out from under his hood and the openings of his sleeves. Power rippled off him, distorting the air with its shadowy presence.

"So, that's who you are," said the other, watching the darkness gather around his opponent. "All this time, the one we thought a mere reflection of the important one… was the Prince of Darkness all along."


End file.
